Potato Gnocchi
Potato gnocchi are a more recent dish than most people assume — the potato only reached Italy in the 16th century, and the recipes built around it really date from the 19th century, when families in northern Italy discovered that a cheap tuber could stand in for bread and wheat in lean years. Every region has its own version — from semolina-based gnocchi alla romana to pumpkin gnocchi in Veneto — but the potato version remains the most widespread and best loved. The whole secret to the perfect texture lies in how little water makes it into the dough. Baked, not boiled, potatoes stay dry; boiled ones soak up water that then demands more flour to bind the dough, and too much flour makes gnocchi heavy and rubbery instead of light. Just as important is not overworking the dough — the moment it comes together, stop.
Baked potatoes, not boiled
Baking keeps moisture out of the dough
Rolled over a fork
The ridges catch more sauce
Float when they're done
They rise to the surface within seconds
Simple sage butter
Browned butter and crisp sage leaves
Ingredients 4 servings
- 1 kg floury potatoes (Maris Piper or Russet), unpeeled
- 150-200 g plain flour, plus more for dusting
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus more for the cooking water
- A pinch of freshly grated nutmeg (optional)
- 90 g butter
- 10 fresh sage leaves
- Grated parmesan, to serve
How to make it
- 1BAKE THE POTATOES: preheat the oven to 200°C, prick the potatoes with a fork and bake them directly on the oven rack for 1 hour, until soft in the middle — baking, unlike boiling, keeps water from soaking into the flesh.
- 2RICE THEM: while still hot (protect your hand with a towel), halve the potatoes, scoop out the flesh with a spoon and pass it through a potato ricer or a fine sieve straight onto the work surface — warm, fluffy potato makes a lighter dough.
- 3ADD THE REST: sprinkle salt and nutmeg over the riced potato, push a well into the centre, add the beaten egg, then dust 150 g of flour over the top.
- 4KNEAD GENTLY: gather the dough with your hands and knead it very briefly, just until it comes together — if it stays sticky, add flour a spoonful at a time; an over-kneaded dough gives tough, rubbery gnocchi.
- 5ROLL INTO ROPES: divide the dough into 6-8 pieces, roll each on the floured surface into a 2 cm-thick rope, then cut into 2 cm pieces.
- 6SHAPE THEM: roll each piece over the back of a floured fork, pressing gently with your thumb, so it picks up ridges on one side and a dimple on the other.
- 7BOIL: cook the gnocchi in salted boiling water, in batches, without crowding the pot — they're ready when they float to the surface, in 1-2 minutes.
- 8MAKE THE SAUCE AND SERVE: melt the butter in a large pan over medium heat until it turns golden-brown and smells nutty, add the sage leaves and fry 30 seconds until crisp, then tip in the drained gnocchi straight from the pot, swirling gently to coat them in butter; serve at once with grated parmesan.
Nutritional info
per serving (~350 g)
Estimated nutritional values.
Pairs perfectly with
