Potato Gnocchi

Gnocchi are actually more of a dumpling than a true pasta.


2 lbs potato
   (You want a fairly mealy, baking potato; russets work well.)
2 egg yolks, beaten
1½ C flour
pinch salt

Bake the potatoes (350°, about an hour). Let them partially cool; while they're still warm -- easier to work with at that point -- scoop the potatoes from the skins. Pass them through a ricer, of finely mash them with a fork, then fluff them a bit.

Add flour, egg yolks, and salt to potatoes; mix until a dough ball forms (don't over-mix).

Dust the work surface with flour and roll portions of the dough into logs or 'snakes' about 3/4" in diameter. (Again, work with the dough lightly; don't press or knead it excessively. You want light, fluffy gnocchi, not dense chewy dough balls.) Cut the dough into 1" lengths. Using a fork (or your finger, but the indentations of the fork are great for catching pasta sauce!), gently roll across each gnocchi to create a slight indentation and give the gnocchi a curved, almost shell like shape.

At this point, the gnocchi are ready to be cooked; but you can also lay them out flat on a baking sheet, freeze them, then put them in air tight plastic bags/containers to freeze for cooking later.

To cook the gnocchi, simply boil them in lightly salted water like you would any other pasta. Depending on the thickness, 3-7 minutes should fully cook fresh gnocchi (slightly longer for frozen/thawed gnocchi). Generally...when they rise to the surface, they're done!

Serve with your favorite pasta sauce.