How To Make Homemade Gnocchi
Homemade Gnocchi is one of those things that seems complicated but is actually incredibly easy. Unlike making pasta, homemade gnocchi only require 3 ingredients and no fancy equipment like a pasta roller. You will never need to buy store bought gnocchi again!
Why This Potato Gnocchi Recipe?
I’ve seen a lot of recipes out there that over complicate the process by adding ingredients like ricotta or eggs to the dough, when in fact you don’t need them at all. All you need to make perfect gnocchi at home is starchy potatoes, salt and flour. That’s all. What’s more is that you don’t need any specialty tools or equipment and you can make them any shape you want (you could even make little star shaped gnocchi by rolling out the dough and cutting them with a small star shaped cookie cutter).
Why is the Type of Potato Important For Homemade Gnocchi?
When we talk about potatoes, there are 2 types – starchy and waxy. Starchy potatoes contain more starch (hence the name) and less water than waxy potatoes. This means they have a fluffier texture and can be mashed more easily than waxy varieties. Waxy potatoes hold their shape better and are best suited to something like a potato salad where you want them to be able to withstand being knocked around and tossed with other ingredients.
You probably guessed already, but starchy potatoes are what we’re aiming for here. They’re ideal for mashed potatoes, chips, croquettes and in our case gnocchi because they have a light, crumbly texture and can be mashed into a smooth, even paste. Go for something like a Russet or Desiree potato, if not, a regular, white, washed potato will do the job.
How To Make Potato Gnocchi From Scratch
Step 1
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and drop in your whole, unpeeled potatoes. Turn down the water to a simmer and cook potatoes until tender, approx. 20 minutes.
Step 2
When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel off the skin and either mash or pass through a ricer. Make sure you mash them while they are still warm, otherwise they won’t become smooth.
Step 3
This step is optional, but to get it extra smooth, pass the mashed potato though a fine sieve.
Step 4
Add your salt and flour and mix until it comes into a dough.
Step 5
Tip the mixture out onto a floured bench, and knead only a handful of times until it comes together into a smooth ball. Leave to rest for 5-10 minutes.
Step 6
Divide the dough into smaller balls and roll them out into a long sausage shape around 2cm thick.
Step 7
Use a sharp knife or paint scraper to cut your gnocchi into individual dumplings. Sprinkle the cut gnocchi with a little more flour to prevent them from sticking to the bench and to each other.
Step 8
Bring a pot a salted water to a boil, then carefully drop in your gnocchi.
Step 9
Boil until the gnocchi start to float to the top, around 1 minute.
Step 10
Remove with a slotted spoon and serve the gnocchi tossed through your favourite sauce.
Can I Make Gnocchi in Advance?
I wouldn’t prepare them any more than an hour before you’re ready to cook them. Gnocchi have a tendency to get very sticky and can either stick to each other or to the bench which ruins all the hard work you put into making them perfect. This is because the flour on the outside continues to absorbs the liquid from within the gnocchi and from the environment their in. If you want, you can continue to toss them in flour periodically, but the more you touch them, them more misshapen and drier they will become.
What you could do instead is pre cook them and toss them in a good amount of butter or oil to stop them sticking together. You could then store them in the fridge until you’re ready, and either give them another quick blanch or toss them straight into your sauce before serving.
Can I Freeze Homemade Gnocchi Dough?
Absolutely! If you want to make a big batch and freeze them for a quick dinner, here’s how you’d do so. Once your dough is prepared and cut, toss them in a liberal amount of flour and place them in a single layer onto a lined baking tray and into the freezer. Once the gnocchi are frozen, add them to either a zip lock bag or air tight container and freeze them for up to 12 months.
When you’re ready to cook them, you can add them straight to boiling water and cook them as usual.
My Gnocchi Are Way Too Chewy, How Do I Fix This?
Chewy gnocchi are the result of too much flour and over kneading the dough. It’s important to knead the dough just until it comes together into a smooth ball and no more. This is because you don’t want to encourage too much gluten development which makes them tough, chewy and rubbery.
Although the recipe calls for 1 cup of flour, the potatoes I used might have been slightly larger or more absorbent than the ones you use. So, I would recommend starting with half the flour, mixing that in, then adding more until you start to form little clumps of dough that aren’t still sticky to the touch. You can also add more than a cup of flour if you feel it is still too wet.
My Gnocchi Are Falling Apart When I Cook Them
This means there isn’t enough flour and your dough is too wet. Try adding another 1/4 cup of flour and try again. A good idea is to have a pot of water on the go before you roll out and shape your gnocchi. Then you can do a test piece and make sure it is the right texture before putting in all of the work to make them pretty.
My Gnocchi is White and Pasty in the Middle
This could be that there is too much flour in your dough. Unfortunately, there isn’t much you can do to fix this, but just try cooking them for a little bit longer and check again.
Homemade Gnocchi
Homemade Gnocchi is one of those things that seems complicated but is actually incredibly easy. Unlike making pasta, homemade gnocchi only require 3 ingredients and no fancy equipment like a pasta roller. You will never need to buy store bought gnocchi ever again!
Ingredients
- 3 large Starchy potatoes (Russet, Yukon Gold, Desiree or King Edward)
- 1 cup All purpose flour
- 1 tsp Salt
Instructions
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and drop in your whole, unpeeled potatoes. Turn down the water to a simmer and cook potatoes until tender, approx 20 minutes.
- When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel off the skin and either mash or pass through a ricer. Make sure you mash them while they are still warm, otherwise they won't become smooth.
- This step is optional, but to get it extra smooth, pass the mashed potato though a fine sieve.
- Add your salt and flour and mix until it comes into a dough.
- Tip the mix out onto a floured bench, and knead only a handful of times until it comes together into a smooth ball. Leave to rest for 5-10 minutes.
- Divide the dough into smaller balls and roll them out into a long sausage shape around 2cm thick.
- Use a sharp knife or paint scraper to cut your gnocchi into individual dumplings. Sprinkle the cut gnocchi with a little more flour to prevent them from sticking to the bench and to each other.
- Bring a pot a salted water to a boil, then carefully drop in your gnocchi.
- Boil until the gnocchi start to float to the top, around 1 minute.
- Remove with a slotted spoon and serve the gnocchi tossed through your favourite sauce.
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Hey! I’m Montana...
Mon Mack Food is my little space to share my passion for food. It is also a place to document the recipes I’ve created while cooking for friends and family! While it is now just a hobby, my absolute dream is to build this project into something I can one day call my job 🙂
