Description
This Quick Homemade Gnocchi Recipe offers a simple and traditional approach to making soft, pillowy Italian gnocchi from scratch using russet potatoes, flour, salt, and egg. Perfectly tender and versatile, these gnocchi cook rapidly by boiling and pair beautifully with a variety of sauces, making them an ideal comfort food for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Potatoes
- 2½ pounds russet potatoes (about 4 large or 8 small)
Gnocchi Dough
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour (plus more for dusting)
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 large egg, whisked
Instructions
- Boil Potatoes: Fill a large pot with cold water. If using large potatoes, cut them in half to ensure even cooking. Place potatoes into the pot, add salt, bring to a boil, and cook for 20-30 minutes until a paring knife pierces them easily, indicating they are tender.
- Dry and Peel: Remove the potatoes from the boiling water and place them on towels to absorb excess moisture. Once cool enough to handle, peel the potatoes using a paring knife to remove the skins.
- Prepare Potatoes: Grate the peeled potatoes finely using a box grater, potato masher, or potato ricer to achieve a fluffy texture, necessary for light gnocchi.
- Cool Potatoes: Spread out the grated potatoes and allow them to cool to room temperature. This prevents the egg added next from cooking on contact.
- Make Dough: Sprinkle the flour and salt evenly over the cooled potatoes. Make a well in the center, pour the whisked egg into it, then gently combine all ingredients with your hands to form a dough.
- Knead Dough: Lightly flour your work surface and knead the dough gently for about 2 minutes until it is just smooth. Be careful to avoid overworking the dough to keep gnocchi tender.
- Divide Dough: Divide the smooth dough into 8 equally sized pieces, prepping them for shaping.
- Roll and Cut: Roll each piece into a rope about 24 inches long and ½ inch thick. Cut each rope into ½-inch pieces. Dust the gnocchi pieces with flour to prevent sticking and lay them in a single layer on a parchment or wax paper-lined baking sheet.
- Cook Gnocchi: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the gnocchi pieces and cook them until they float to the surface, about 90 seconds, indicating they are fully cooked.
- Drain and Serve: Use a slotted spoon to scoop the gnocchi out of the water and immediately toss them with your favorite sauce such as marinara, pesto, or browned butter with sage for a flavorful finish.
Notes
- Use russet potatoes for the best texture because they have less moisture and starchiness ideal for gnocchi.
- Allow the potatoes to cool sufficiently before mixing in the egg to prevent it from scrambling.
- Do not overwork the dough; excessive kneading will result in tough gnocchi.
- Flour your hands and rolling surface as needed to prevent sticking while shaping the dough.
- Cook gnocchi in batches to avoid overcrowding the pot which can cause them to stick together.
- Serve immediately after cooking for the best texture, or freeze uncooked gnocchi for later use.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: gnocchi, homemade gnocchi, potato gnocchi, Italian pasta, quick gnocchi recipe, comfort food, easy gnocchi
