Potato Gnocchi

Yesterday, I visited, Cool Conifers, and the lovely Arabella helped me harvest a few potatoes. Well, more than a few. A lot. Maybe 30 pounds of amazing potatoes. Russets and Banana fingerlings are great, but I really love the Purple Majesty (purple meat), and was turned on to Mountain Rose, with wonderful red and white meat. I bought way more than I should have.

Today, I used some and made Gnocchi from some of the purple potatoes. They tasted great, but the starches were a bit different, and gave the gnocchi a moderately different texture. And they were grayish.

Here’s my recipe

  • 8 oz Boiled, drained, and riced, Purple potatoes
  • 8 oz Brown rice flour
  • 1 tsp Xanthan Gum
  • 1 Tbsp finely chopped Rosemary (fresh)
  • 1 tsp Garlic salt
  • 1/4 cup Ricotta cheese
  • 2 large eggs

I boiled more than 8 oz of potatoes - maybe more like a pound, but I only riced 8 ounces. I think I peeled and boiled 5 potatoes, but they were about the size of large store-bought red potatoes. If you don’t have a ricer, you could simply make mashed potatoes out of them, and then use 8 oz.

Anyway, combine all the ingredients in a mixer, and mix until smooth. Immediately begin rolling gnocchi.

  • Take a 2 oz ball of dough, and roll it into a ball
  • Roll the ball into a snake, of diameter 1/3-1/2 inch
  • Cut equal portions of the snake, into 10-12 equal pieces
  • Roll each portion into a ball using your palms
  • Smash the ball using your index finger
  • Use the side of your index finger to roll one side partially onto the other (and remove it from your palm)
  • Set it on wax paper

Gnocchi is time consuming, and people will tell you you need tools. It is, and you don’t, though the presentation is nice, if you have little, even grooves on the gnocchi.

Once you’re done making the individual gnocchi, let them sit for at least a couple hours. Drying the dough will help them keep separated when you boil them.

When you’re ready to cook them:

  • Bring some heavily salted water to a boil (This is true for all pasta. Don’t use a pinch of salt, use a large handful. Do it once, then tell me how good an idea it is.)
  • Once the water is boiling, put a few handfuls of the raw gnocchi in the water. It will sink. Cook it until it floats.
  • Then cook it one more minute. You’ll get the hang.
  • Remove the finished gnocchi from the water with a slotted spoon, and drain for a few seconds in s strainer
  • Toss in a little bit of olive oil. (This helps the gnocchi remain separate as you’re cooking the rest)
  • Cook another few handfuls.

Serve.