Gnocchi can be served with ragù – but they are also great with a simple tomato sauce, a butter and sage sauce or with four different kinds of cheese! You can also add other ingredients into the mix like pumpkin, spinach or red beets for a pop of color.
Making them at home seems simple, but the risk is ending up with gnocchi that are gummy or hard when you bite into them. You need to know how to properly and precisely measure the ingredients and you need some manual skills to make them. So how can you avoid making gnocchi that are not so easy to chew? Some practical advice, from our kitchen to yours!
Choose the right potato for gnocchi
First, let's start with the main ingredient: the potato. The perfect potato for gnocchi is not new, but has a little bit of age to it – because the younger ones contain more water than the older ones so you risk having the potato retain too much flour after mixing the ingredients together. The best potato for gnocchi is a white starchy one – ideal for being mashed because of the more “floury” consistency.
Beware of measurements!
You will need white flour for the dough. The measurement? Well, that depends on the potato used. In any case, for every 2 lb of potatoes, use an amount of flour that usually varies from 9 to 11 oz – but never exceed this amount! Otherwise, the gnocchi will become too dense and hard.
Do not add flour
If the dough is too soft and floury, do not add more flour. More flour will transform your gnocchi dough into a cement brick! Instead, transfer your dough back onto the pastry board and continue to work the dough patiently until it dries out a little bit more.
Cook gnocchi a little at a time
Gnocchi are not meant to be stored in the fridge. Otherwise, they lose their consistency. For soft and fluffy gnocchi, we suggest you cook them immediately right after making the dough. Otherwise, freeze them and wait a few hours for them to harden. Then portion them into plastic bags to be thawed just before tossing them into boiling water for your next gnocchi dinner!