Description
Alton Brown’s gnocchi brings Italian comfort to your kitchen with pillowy potato dumplings crafted from simple, elegant ingredients. Potato, flour, and egg combine in a culinary dance that delivers a classic Italian pasta experience you’ll savor with pure delight.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 potatoes, peeled
- 2 cups (480 milliliters) all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg
Binding Ingredient:
- 1 teaspoon salt
Additional Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) olive oil
- ¼ cup (60 milliliters) water
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with water, add a generous pinch of salt, and bring to a rolling boil. Carefully submerge whole potatoes and cook for approximately 15 to 20 minutes until tender when pierced with a fork, ensuring they remain firm and do not disintegrate.
- Drain the potatoes and allow them to cool completely. Gently press and mash the potatoes using a potato masher or fork, creating a consistent, slightly textured mixture without large lumps.
- In a spacious mixing bowl, combine the flour, one whole egg, and precisely 1 cup of the mashed potatoes. Gradually blend the ingredients, using your hands to knead the mixture into a smooth, pliable dough.
- Dust a clean work surface with flour to prevent sticking. Divide the dough into smaller portions and roll each section into elongated cylindrical shapes, resembling slender ropes approximately 1/2 inch in diameter.
- Using a sharp knife, slice the dough ropes into uniform half-inch segments, creating individual gnocchi pillows. Lightly dust the cut pieces with flour to prevent adhesion.
- Bring a fresh pot of water to a vigorous boil, adding a pinch of salt. Carefully drop the gnocchi into the bubbling water and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, watching for them to rise and float to the surface.
- Once the gnocchi have floated up, use a slotted spoon to remove them from the water. Drain thoroughly and serve immediately with your preferred sauce or seasoning.
Notes
- Russet potatoes pack the perfect starch content, creating cloud-like gnocchi with incredible texture.
- Mixing too aggressively transforms delicate dough into tough, chewy lumps that nobody wants on their plate.
- Flour incorporation requires a delicate touch, adding small amounts to control moisture and maintain pillowy softness.
- Working in compact batches ensures each potato dumpling cooks evenly and receives proper attention during preparation.
- Room temperature ingredients blend more smoothly, preventing unexpected textural challenges.
- Keep wooden surfaces lightly dusted with flour to prevent sticky dough complications.
- Boil potatoes with skin intact to minimize water absorption and maintain optimal potato structure.
- Test one gnocchi first to verify cooking time and seasoning before preparing entire batch.
- Leftover gnocchi store beautifully in airtight containers for quick future meals.
- Fresh herbs can transform basic recipe into restaurant-quality comfort food.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 220 kcal
- Sugar: 0.5 g
- Sodium: 1 mg
- Fat: 0.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0.4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 47 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg