With Potato Gnocchi, a Tender Touch Is Rewarded

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With Potato Gnocchi, a Tender Touch Is Rewarded

But it is a bit of a touchy-feely process (like making pastry or bread) even if you are careful to use the exact quantities of ingredients and precisely follow the instructions.

Don’t be discouraged. Achieving perfectly sublime gnocchi on the very first try is a little unlikely, but still very much worth the effort. Like matzo balls, another member of the multicultural dumpling family, gnocchi can run the gamut on texture from tender to terribly tough (though if I may offer an opinion, tender gnocchi are certainly far preferable).

So regard it this way: Your first result may not be perfect, but will taste good nonetheless. Subsequent attempts and familiarity with the process will invariably yield deliciously successful gnocchi, as I learned in my recent trial runs at home. Practice and a light touch are paramount. Soon you’ll find that making a batch goes quite quickly, once the potatoes are cooked.

You need to use potatoes that are “floury,” like yellow Yukon Gold or common russets, and you need to keep them from getting waterlogged. Baking the potatoes in their skins gives the best results; if you boil them, you must take care that they are not overcooked. Remove them from the pot and slash them open immediately to let the steam escape. Then handle them as little as possible. After they have been run through a food mill or a wire sieve, quickly add the flour and seasonings, and very gently mix the dough, just until it comes together. Knead for only about a minute, otherwise the gnocchi will be chewy or tough. Once the gnocchi are shaped, they may be left uncovered on a floured baking sheet for up to several hours.

My favorite sauce for them, at least this time of year, is an easy, fragrant sage butter. Adding sweet early peas at the last minute makes for a fine combination. The finished gnocchi should be showered with grated Parmesan and freshly milled black pepper. A few minutes under the broiler for browning is also a very good idea.

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