Velvety, light pillows of fluff ... that's how I describe really good gnocchi. It's very hard to find these pillows of fluff as most restaurants use prepackaged stuff which tastes nothing like handmade gnocchi. Once you've had the real stuff you'll never go back! I now ask servers if the gnocchi is handmade. My favourite restaurant for gnocchi is Paradiso, the 12 hour braised wild boar gnocchi is heavenly! In November I had the pleasure of experiencing one of their cooking classes and learned the secrets of great gnocchi! I've made it twice at home since then and the first time was just like at the restaurant; the second I didn't add enough flour. It didn't taste bad and my family loved it but I could tell the difference. It's still a learning process so if you love gnocchi don't give up. I haven't yet!
Here's the recipe the restaurant provided us.
Ingredients:
2lbs yukon gold potatoes
1 large egg
3-4 cups flour
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
2 tbsp salt
Method:
* Boil potatoes with the skin on until soft and drain
* Peel potatoes when slightly cooled by scraping off the skins with a paring knife, or the back of a butter knife. At this point the skin will slide off the potatoes.
* When potatoes are cooled place in mixer (with dough hook) and add eggs, cheese and salt and mix on low speed adding flour slowly until dough is soft and holds together. It will look similar to when you make bread with the dough hook, it will be one big ball of dough. Too much flour will make the dough chewy so allow flour to mix in well before each addition.
* On floured work surface divide dough into 2 - 3" pieces and roll out into 1/4" tubes and cut into 1/2" pieces.
* Cook in small batches in a large pot of salted boiling water
* Gnocchi is ready when it floats to the top. Remove immediately to an ice water bath to stop the cooking process.
* When cooled strain and pat dry and keep cool until ready to use.
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