Gnocchi
This is probably the oldest variant of the pasta in the world. According to Harold McGee, the origin of Gnocchi’s making dates back to the 14th century. In the beginning, gnocchi which was made from wheat flour or bread crumbs. After the potato reached the “old world”, Gnocchi was started to made from potato. Other starchy vegetables are now used either with success. Flour, especially “Tipo 00” with high gluten content and other pizza and pasta flours suits well for preparation of gnocchi. Semolina is also used instead of flour and depending on the Italian regions, either eggs or egg yolks, or no eggs at all are added to the dough. Potatoes must be starchy and have better gnocchi.
It is a food that can be prepared with a sauce that has different flavors and cheese, as well as fried in a pan with different spices and additives. Since I was planning to make gnocchis on Saturday morning, I was making both options.
If someone has leftover of boiled potatoes, especially old, starchy potatoes, it may be considered to make gnocchi instead of making fried potatoes which are of course also tasty but less exotic.
Preparation time: In addition to boiling and cooling the potatoes,
making dough and gnocchi forming 30 min, boiling of gnocchi 3 min, frying, and preparation of gnocchis with sauce for 10-15 min.
Level: Average
Quantity: Four
Ingredients
Gnocchis
1 kg of ‘old’ potatoes with high starch content
350 g of wheat flour, the best is pizza or pasta flour. It may also be able to make them as a gluten-free version if to use a mixture of my flour and add extra amount of the xanthan
0.5 teaspoon of salt
Sauce
1 piece (180g) Gorgonzola cheese
250 ml of food cream
3 branches of fresh basil
50 g of grated parmesan
Salt, black pepper
Fried gnocchi
A piece of butter
A handful of fresh rosemary
0,25 tsp grated lemon peel
A handful of frozen green peas
Salt and pepper
Preparation
Gnocchis
1. Boil the potatoes and allow to cool, peel and use a potato press to make the perfect gnocchi potato mix or smash the potatoes
2. Add 300 g of flour and sea salt
3. Stir in a smooth dough. Stir the dough for at least 5-10 min, then gluten molecules become active and form smoother network
4. Cut dough in eight pieces roll each piece into finger-width ropes.
5. Cut into the 2 cm long peaces
6. There’s nothing more to do, however in Italy, every peace is rolled over to a special wooden gnocchi board to form the pattern on gnocchi. I did not have this board and I used forks, which I was used to form Italian-style gnocchis.
7. Boil water with a pinch of sea salt in large sup-pot, throw gnocchi into it. Don’t put too much gnocchi into the water, divide this amount into four portions.
8. Carefully disassemble the gnocchi from the base of the pot and boil for about 3 min. The Gnocchi rise to the surface of the water and are ready to catch them with a sieve.
To prepare gnocchi with sauce
1. Crush the basil in the food processor with food cream
Pour the mixture into the pot, add Gorgonzola and about 0.5 teaspoons of flour
3. Mix frequently and allow the mixture gently to boil
4. Put the cooked gnocchi on the bottom of the small oven molds and pour over the sauce, shake the parmesan and place into the oven in the maximum heat of the grill.
5. Bake for 10-15 minutes until the cheese is slightly brownish
To prepare fried gnocchi
1. Brown the butter in the pan to high heat, add boiled gnocchi, add rosemary branches
2. Add a handful of green peas and a little lemon peel to the latch
3. Fry until gnocchis are golden brown, add a handful of parmesan and fresh parsley
Ready !!!!
