Potato Gnocchi

“Giovedì gnocchi, Venerdì pesce, Sabato trippa”.

“Thursday gnocchi, Friday fish and Saturday tripe”.

Italian saying.

Thursday is the day on which people in many parts of Italy prepare gnocchi. Many restaurants offer gnocchi on theirs menus too.

Potato gnocchi are traditional Italian little dumplings made with potatoes and flour, served as PRIMO (first course). Despite the simplicity of this recipe, gnocchi are a very versatile food. Delicious with any kind of condiment, I usually toss mine with tomato sauce or ragu’ (Italian meat sauce), but they are superb also with browned butter and sage, sprinkled with freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano.

Simple, quick, inexpensive and delicious, the perfect alternative to pasta.

Buon Appetito!!!

…another delicious recipe included in #aqueeninthekitchen

A Queen In The Kitchen

Authored by Ale Gambini

Photos by Maurizio OTTO De Togni

L.A.-based Italian food writer Ale Gambini presents traditional Milanese and Northern Italian dishes, handed down from her beloved Nonna Fernanda. Nearly a century of authentic Italian recipes, accurately explained step-by-step, prepared using only the freshest, finest and healthiest ingredients that are native to the region of Lombardy and Northern Italy in general. This book includes the staples of the Milanese cuisine such as Milanese risotto, veal ossobuco and Panettone (Christmas sweet bread).

Available on:

Amazon.com (US), CA, Amazon Europe: (IT, FR, ES, DE) and UK.

Photo by Ale Gambini & Maurizio “OttO” De Togni – BreadLoveAndDreams

Yields : 4 to 6 servings

Difficulty : easy

Prep Time : 40 min.

Cook Time : 2 min.

INGREDIENTS

2 pounds potatoes

2 cup all-purpose flour

1 pinch sea salt

1 egg

DIRECTIONS

Fill a medium pot with cold water and salt.

Peel and wash the potatoes and place them into  the pot.

Bring to boil and cook until the potatoes are tender throughout.

Flour a work surface.

Place the flour in the center of the floured work surface.

Make a well and mash the potatoes with a potato ricer into it.

Add the egg and a pinch of salt.

Mix all the ingredients together with a fork then knead with your hands.

Roll baseball-sized ball of dough into 3/4-inch diameter dowels and cut dowels into 1-inch long pieces.

Drop the gnocchi into a pot of  boiling salted water and cook until they rise on top  (usually 1 minute).

Remove the gnocchi quickly with a skimmer, shake off the excess of water and plate the gnocchi.

Toss with tomato sauce, ragu’ sauce or browned butter and sage.

Sprinkle with Parmigiano cheese.