PREP/COOK TIME: About 2 Hours
Makes One Pound of Dough

INGREDIENTS 

1 Lb (About 3 Medium) – Russet Potatoes, Scrubbed

½ Cup – All Purpose Flour

½ Cup – Grated Pecorino Romano Cheese

1 Large Egg

3 Tsp – Kosher Salt

½ Tsp – Coarse Black Pepper

THE NITTY GRITTY

POTATOES – Place potatoes with 2 Tsp salt in a sizeable pot, or saucepan, with enough room at the top for boiling. Fill with cold water till potatoes are submersed over by an inch. Cover with lid and start at high heat. Bring to a rapid boil then reduce heat to medium and simmer. Cooking time should take about 25 minutes to boil; check for doneness by inserting a paring knife in the thickest part of the spud for tenderness. The knife should insert with no needed pressure and come out just as easy. Drain potatoes and cool them by adding cold water to the pot; drain and repeat if necessary so they’re easy to handle. Peel potatoes with a vegetable peeler or paring knife and transfer to a large, clean mixing bowl. Using a potato masher or the back of a fork, mash potatoes till smooth, leaving no chunks. Allow potatoes to cool to room temp.

MAKING GNOCCHI – In the same bowl as the mashed potato, add in pecorino, flour, remaining teaspoon of salt and pepper. Beat egg into mixture; stir till dough forms and separates clean from bowl.

SHAPING GNOCCHI – Using two tablespoons, scoop a portion of dough into one spoon while using the other to pull away; forming an oval shape. Set shaped gnocchi an inch apart onto a tray, or baking sheet, with parchment, or wax paper.

COOKING THE GNOCCHI – Heat a large pot of salted water at high; bring to a boil. Add gnocchi; cook for 8 – 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, till gnocchi have risen and plumped up.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer gnocchi to prepared sauce immediately; cook for another minute or two.

SAUCES – Just as I would when making my Gnudi Brutto, I keep my sauces simple…

Tomato – 2 Tbs of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and 2 Cloves of Garlic, Halved, heated in a medium saucepan at high. I remove the garlic once fragrant and golden; add 3 Tbs of Double Concentrate Tomato Paste (cook for about a minute, to get the rawness out); finish with 1 ½ Cups of Water, or Chicken Broth, simmer to reduce, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Store bought? Of course. You know I’m not a snob. Jarred serves its purpose brilliantly.

Another simple sauce isn’t sauce so much as it is simply Pacific Foods Low Sodium Free Range Chicken Broth; garnished with lots of grated Pecorino Romano, coarse black pepper and a smattering of finely chopped flat-leaf parsley.

Brown Butter and Sage – ¼ Cup (4 Tbs) of Unsalted Butter and about 7 – 8 Small Sage Leaves heated in a large skillet, or non-stick pan, at medium high; cooked until butter is aromatic and nutty in color.

…and sometimes I’ll go elegant with my Gnocchi di Pesce Crema.

JANUARY 26, 2020