Potato Gnocchi

Source: Modified from… How to Cook Everything Vegetarian, by Mark Bittman

Serves 3-4 (main course portions)

Special Equipment: Potato Ricer

• 2 large russet potatoes (2 to 2.25 pounds)
  
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  
• ½ cup all-purpose flour, plus more as needed.
  

*Note* gnocchi is NOT hard. It takes about an hour, but most of that is boiling the potatoes. It is scary, because until you've done it you're afraid that you'll either make the gnocchi tough, or that they'll simply dissolve. Fortunately, you can ensure that neither of these things happens, simply by checking the dough as you make it. Give it a try; you'll be very proud of yourself!

Put the potatoes in boiling, lightly salted water. Adjust the heat, so it's not a full boil and cook until the potatoes are very tender, around 45 minutes. Drain and peel. Re-fill the pot with lightly salted water and bring to a boil again.

Push the potatoes through the ricer into a medium sized mixing bowl. Add a salt and pepper to taste. Add the ½ cup flour and slowly and gently fold it into the potatoes. I find this works best using a rubber spatula and a gentle lifting motion. Add more flour until the mixture forms a dough you can handle (I've consistently found this to be the right amount, ½ cup, I've tried less, and it doesn't hold together).

Very lightly knead on a floured surface, then roll off a small ball and put it in the boiling water. If it stays together after a minute or so, you are in good shape. If not, add more flour, and knead it in. Your goal is to make this with as little kneading and flour as possible.

Using your hands, on a lightly floured surface, roll a piece of the dough into a long, ¾-inch diameter cylinder. You'll probably have to create about 5 of these "ropes," but do them one at a time. Using a knife, cut off ¾ inch sections of the rope. Be careful only to press on the part of the dough you want to cut, don't angle the knife and squish the dough. You should be creating small "pillows of gnocchi." If you have it, put the gnocchi on wax paper. Otherwise, just leave them on the floured surface. Continue doing these until you've cut up all of your ropes. You can also press them against the tines of a fork, to create the ridges that give this pasta its name (gnocchi is Italian for knuckles) but I think this is a risky step. You risk squishing your gnocchi and losing the wonderful texture you worked so delicately to create.

Add the gnocchi to the boiling water. You can do this in batches if you wish, but it's not really necessary, unless you're making more than this. 1 minute after the gnocchi rise to the surface they are ready. Remove them with a slotted spoon, and plate them. Drain off as much water as possible. Add your sauce, and you're done!