Gnocchi - o

Recently, I’ve been on an Italian food binge. I don’t really know why, but something about the weather just makes me crave pasta. My roommates call me a pregnant woman because I crave random foods at random times, but whatever. I’ll eat what I want, when I want…assuming I can afford it. This dish is super affordable. Everyone has flour, oil, salt and eggs all the time. If you’ve got two potatoes and a large pot of boiling water, you’ve got yourself a meal. Of course, I added in a few extras, but I’m sure even in a butter sauce these little gnocchi would be wonderful.

I’ve never had gnocchi before, nor have I ever made it. According to one of my roommates who spent the winter in Rome, these were on par with the Italians and everyone else liked them as well. I didn’t use a fancy gnocchi board, a dough cutter, or any tool I didn’t own, however, I would recommend investing in a potato ricer. Not only can you save time in this recipe, but it makes mashed potatoes in no time at all. Definitely worth the $17.47.

I think I made these gnocchi a bit too large, as the recipe was meant to make 100 and serve 10 people (but again, college guys eat lots of servings). You don’t have to do the extras, but I feel like they add more texture to the sauce and improve the overall dish. Enjoy!!

Basic Potato Gnocchi (Adapted from anticiplate.com)

2 large russet potatoes
Olive oil
Salt and Pepper
2 Egg yolks
1 ½ cups All purpose flour

My Sauce

½ red onion, cut into large chunks
1 large roma tomato, cut into large chunks
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
2 Tbsp minced Garlic
1 24 oz jar of pasta sauce (or homemade)
A few leaves fresh basil, cut into ribbons (optional)

GNOCCHI

Spear the potatoes and coat them with the olive oil on a cookie sheet. Season well with salt and pepper. Roast at 375F for about an hour, or until soft. Once roasted, rice the potatoes on the hot cookie sheet, and let cool for about 5 minutes. While cooling, prepare a pot of boiling water. Once cooled, mix in the flour and the egg yolks. (I found it easier to mix in the egg and a little of the flour, then knead the rest in by hand on a board). On a well-floured board, roll the dough into a 1” diameter tube, and cut 1” sections off. Quickly roll these sections into balls. Drop the balls into the boiling water and cook until they rise to the surface, about 3 minutes. If necessary, do this in batches, making sure to not overcrowd the pot. Serve with your favorite pasta sauce. Serves 4.

SAUCE

In a large skillet, sauté the onion and tomato together, until slightly softened, but still firm. Add in the garlic and Italian seasoning and stir, cooking for about a minute more. Add in the pasta sauce and warm through. Serve over gnocchi.