Gnocchi with Sage Butter

Before I learned how to make gnocchi, I was extremely intimidated by them.  I'd order these little potato dumplings occasionally in Italian restaurants.  (By the way, there are also semolina gnocchi, traditionally circularly shaped.  Can't wait to tackle them sometime!)  Good gnocchi is light and tender.  Bad gnocchi is heavy and/ or mushy... I've had my share of bad gnocchi!  Well, I finally decided I wanted to try my hand at making them about a year or so ago.  After looking up several recipes in books and on the internet, I finally came up with a recipe that always works for me.  They turn out exactly the way they're supposed to.  They're great with a little tomato sauce, or sauteed in an herb-browned butter sauce.

If you like gnocchi, don't be shy about giving these a try!!

Potato Gnocchi

3 russet potatoes
1 egg, beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1-1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

Boil the whole, unpeeled potatoes for approximately 35 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender when pierced.  Drain and let potatoes cool until they can be handled easily.

Mix egg, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.  Set aside.

Once potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel (often you can pull the skin right off the potatoes pretty easily with your fingers).  Put potatoes through a ricer (or push through the holes of a metal colander).  Mix riced potatoes with egg mixture.  Knead in flour, about 1/2 cup at a time.  On a lightly floured surface, knead dough, adding flour a little at a time if necessary, until dough is smooth and no longer sticky.

Divide dough into sixths.  Roll each piece of dough into a long rope, approximately 3/4-inch to 1-inch in diameter.  Cut rope into 1 inch pieces.  On a floured gnocchi paddle or back of a fork, roll each piece down the ridges (or tines) lightly with thumb, until dough curls on itself and is ridged. Place raw gnocchi on a floured surface.  Repeat with rest of dough. 

Bring large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add gnocchi.  When gnocchi float to top of water, continue cooking for another 30 seconds to 1 minute.  Remove from water with slotted spoon.  Serve with sauce or melt butter with sage in skillet over medium-high heat until lightly browned.  Add cooked gnocchi to butter sauce and saute lightly for a minute or so.  Serve with grated Parmigiana-Reggiano.

Thanks to Michael over at Designs by Gollum for hosting Foodie Friday!  Visit her site to see all the wonderful dishes everyone has made this week!!