Recipe for homemade gnocchi

Homemade gnocchi is not as difficult to make as you might think. Just as you can't imagine that boiled potatoes of the floury, boring kind can be transformed into such a wonderful meal. The boiled potatoes should be mashed finely, but preferably without the mash being kneaded or mashed too much. This is easiest to do with a potato masher or potato masher, and it is important that you use floury potatoes that are cooked well, so that they are almost cooked through in consistency. Alternatively, you can mash the potatoes thoroughly with a fork, but it is important that you do not, for example, blend the potatoes, as this will turn them into a sticky mass. For the same reason, it is also important that you do not knead the dough too much. It should simply come together and become uniform, but you must not knead it like pizza dough. Due to the high starch content in the potatoes, the dough will only become wetter and stickier the more you work with it. 

TIP: Also try the recipe at pumpkin gnocchi

Potato gnocchi

Gnocchi can be made in many different ways and in all sorts of shapes. Here the classic version is made with potatoes, which are very similar to regular pasta. But it is the potatoes that make them lighter, airier and more delicate. Perfect as an accompaniment to Italian dishes such as bolognese or saltimbocca.   

Gnocchi with Grana Padano

Here the gnocchi is made with Grana Padano. Both turned into the dough for extra flavor and sprinkled over each plate in generous amounts. Grana Padano is an Italian cheese whose name describes both its consistency and origin. "Grana" means "crumbly", and "Padana" refers to the fact that the cheese is produced from milk from the Pianura Padana area. The Italian cheese is aged for at least 9 months, which intensifies the flavor. And together with the crumbly consistency, you get an absolutely wonderful cheese that can be shaved into flakes or grated over the food when serving. 

TIP: Also try Grana Padano over a nice risotto with mushrooms or spaghetti carbonara

Tips for homemade gnocchi

• Use Tipo 00 wheat flour or durum flour to make gnocchi. This makes the dough easier to work with due to the higher gluten content. 
• You can omit the egg yolks and thus make vegan gnocchi. 
• Use a potato masher that can mash the potatoes finely with an airy consistency.
• Use floury, large potatoes that are easier to peel and not too wet in consistency. 
• Use rice flour for rolling out. This makes the dough non-sticky and easy to handle.
• Be careful not to overcook your gnocchi. A minute or two in boiling water is often enough, and they should be removed from the pot as soon as they float to the surface. 
• Be careful not to make your gnocchi too large. They will almost double in size when cooked.
• Add a little aged Italian cheese such as Grana Padano to the gnocchi dough for more flavor. 

TIP: Also try this recipe: classic Italian lasagna