Potato Gnocchi

Cultural Context

Gnocchi have taken many forms in Italy for centuries, and not all of them contain potatoes. Earlier versions used ingredients such as flour, bread or semolina. Potato gnocchi became widespread only after potatoes arrived in Europe from the Americas and became established in Italian cooking. Today, styles vary widely by region. Lazio is known for baked semolina gnocchi alla romana, while Campania has gnocchi alla sorrentina with tomato, mozzarella and basil. Potato gnocchi remain one of the country’s great examples of home cooking built from inexpensive ingredients, careful hands and a sauce worth mopping up.

Fun Fact

Gnocchi have a built-in kitchen timer. Drop them into boiling water, and they’ll sink first, then bob to the surface as they cook. Once they’re floating, they usually need only a few more seconds before coming out. Ignore them for too long, and those tender little dumplings can turn into mashed potatoes with a terrible report card.

Cook’s Tip

Russets are reliably dry and fluffy, while Yukon Gold potatoes give the gnocchi a slightly richer flavor. Avoid waxy new potatoes, which hold more moisture and can force you to add too much flour. If your potatoes seem especially wet, bake them instead of boiling them. You can use Italian 00 flour instead of all-purpose flour, but don’t chase an exact flour quantity at the expense of the dough: potatoes vary. Add only enough flour to make the dough workable. The ridges are optional, though they give the sauce more places to hang on.

The biggest enemy of tender gnocchi is excess moisture. Cook the potatoes in their skins, rice them while warm and let steam escape before making the dough. Add flour gradually and stop as soon as the dough is soft and manageable. Overworking develops gluten and makes the gnocchi heavier. Shape and cook them the same day, or freeze uncooked gnocchi in a single layer before transferring to a freezer bag; cook them straight from frozen.

Trivia

Those familiar fork ridges aren’t just decoration. The grooves and small indentations help sauce cling to the gnocchi, whether you’re using tomato sauce, pesto or butter and sage. Plenty of Italian cooks leave gnocchi smooth, though, so nobody needs to delay dinner while searching for a gnocchi board.