Anyway, a couple weeks ago, I decided to try making some gnocchi. I wanted to do it in a garlic browned butter and herb sauce, topped with a sprinkle of parm, super duper simple. The goal was to make it light, fluffy and delicate... not heavy and starchy the way some gnocchi turns out. So I made Nate buy an extra couple lbs of potatoes (thx brz) and I got to work.
My first batch was a failure. Maybe this is a silly and well-known note, but I learned the hard way. Dont use a food processor.
My second batch, also no good. I abandoned the food processor and went to a potato masher. the gnocchi were still a little too starchy and a little sticky.
The third batch did it though. They tasted like little balls of light potatoes...
How did I get there? well first I channeled the first the long ago italian women who probably started making these little dumplings. I have no idea if this is accurate but here is what I imagined. I figure they wanted to make little morsels that were both comfortingly filling, while still having the fluffiness of a baked potato... and I imagine they also didnt want to work so hard, bc this was more of an everyday dish.
Ok so imaginary italian history in mind, here's how I got the gnocchi to work.
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| Melody sneaking a bite of the gnocchi. I didnt take my own photos, so thank you to Meghana for documenting! |
Ingredients:
Gnocchi
1 lb russet potatos
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt & pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 cup grated asiago
4 egg yolks
Sauce
4 gloves of garlic, finely chopped
1/8 of an onion, finely chopped
1/2 stick of butter
fresh thyme (to taste)
fresh basil (to taste)
lemon pepper, if you have it.
Instructions:
Get a pot of boiling water, cut your potatoes in half and boil them till they are overcooked (around an hour and change)
Peel them and *heres the important part* mash them gently with a fork. This may take a while but you want them to be delicate.
Make a moat of potato on your countertop (literally a moat, bc you will be pouring all your other ingreds into the middle)
Combine everything else and break up the egg yolks in a separate bowl and then pour into the middle of the moat.
Then slowly work the potatoes in with the other ingredients. (this will be messy)
Fold the first 1/2 cup fo flour into your potatoes. very very gently.
Then keep sprinkling more and more flour and folding gently until you use it all.
When you can take a little dough and roll it between your palms and the countertop into a 1/2 inch rope, then you have the right consistency.
Flour your countertop, roll out a 1/2 inch rope to a manageable length. (for me it was around a foot)
then cut into about 1/2 inch long pieces and press the top with a fork so it makes that pretty little imprint. (this is great bc it will hold the sauce)
Let them sit for about 30 minutes and then get a pot of boiling water on your stovetop.
You drop the gnocchi in, in batches, and when they rise to the surface (around a minute and a half) scoop them out.
Set them aside when you are done cooking them and get a stainless steel pan hot (butter sticks to aluminum).
lightly olive oil the pan and throw your garlic in, cook on medium high for a couple minutes, till they become fragrant. Then add the onions, cook another couple minutes till they are translucent. Add the 1/2 stick of butter, let it melt. I like to take a spoon, tilt one side of the pan towards me, and scoop the butter from the bottom (side closest to me) and drop it at the top (the side furthest away, and elevated from the heat)
This allows you to watch closely what is happening to the butter so you don't end up with a beurre noir.
When you have achieved a little less than your desired brown, turn off the heat, toss in the gnocchi (the butter will continue to brown until you remove it from the hot pan)
And make sure all your gnocchi is covered with the sauce.
Arrange everything on a plate and top with a dusting of Parmesan, and thyme and basil.
I think it turned out pretty good....
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| bc here's the reaction after dinner... couldnt have been TOO bad ;) (thx again to meghana for the photo) |
