Homemade Gnocchi - Sweet potato & Original

The gnocchi at buenos aires cafe is my gold standard for all gnocchi. Perfect little clouds, tossed in a springy vinaigrette of balsamic, herbs, and magic. When you eat something as perfect as this dish, the task of recreation seems impossible. My dreams, however, are big. And so, during my domestic week in Dallas, I decided to embark upon a gnocchi journey... not once, but twice. Does that make the recipe twice as good? I sure hope so!



Gnocchi Dough

Gadgets: Parchment paper, potato ricer, dough blade (not necessary, but pretty important!)

Ingredients

Plain Gnocchi
2 medium russet potatoes
1 -1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (you may not use all of the flour)
salt
1 egg yolk

Sweet Potato Gnocchi
1 medium russet potato
1 medium sweet potato *note: I tried making this recipe using only sweet potatoes and the consistency was off*
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (again, you may not use it all)
1 egg yolk
Salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Preparation (same for both varieties)

Pierce the potatoes all over with a fork, then bake on 450 degrees for 45 mins - 1 hour. The potatoes should be tender when finished and the sweet potato may need more time because it has more moisture than it's starchy friend the russet.

Let the potatoes cool (you don't want to burn your hands) but make sure to work with them while they are still warm. Now, it's time for the potato ricer! I bought mine at Kohl's for $20.00 and it's an awesome addition to my kitchen gadgets. A potato ricer allows you to break up the potatoes into a thin mashed consistency.



You could probably mash the potatoes if you don't own a ricer, but you want a nice smooth texture.

Lightly flour your counter top. Also, cover two baking sheets with parchment paper. Lightly flour this as well.

In a large mixing bowl, mix together the potatoes, lightly beaten egg yolk, salt (and spices for the sweet potato gnocchi), and 1 cup of flour. This should form a sticky dough. Add more flour 1/4 cup at a time, until the dough is not too sticky but not too firm. Basically, you want to incorporate the least amount of flour into your dough to keep the gnocchi light. Too much flour and the consistency will be gummy. Ew. The sweet potato gnocchi will require more flour than the regular kind.

Cut the dough into 3 smaller sections using the dough blade. On a floured surface, roll the dough into a long snake. It's like playing with play dough! The snake should be about 1/2 inch thick. Using the dough blade, cut the snake into 1 inch pieces. Move these pieces to the floured parchment paper and continue with the rest of the dough.

Move the trays to the freezer if you do not plan on cooking immediately. After about 20 minutes in the freezer, you can put the gnocchi into a tupperware box. They will be good for up to 3 months. To cook, bring salted water to a boil and add frozen gnocchi.

The gnocchi will take approximately 2-3 minutes to cook. Using a slotted spoon, remove the gnocchi when they float to the surface. Serve with any sauce you like! I made a pancetta sage vinaigrette.

Good luck! Homemade gnocchi is much easier than you think. Make a large batch and freeze the leftovers for a cold day.