Recipe provided by Chef Paul Bertolli ( Executive Chef of Oliveto Restaurant ) from his cook book (Cooking By Hand.)
Execution by etoknife.
Salt
3 russet potatoes or other starchy variety
1 egg whisked
1/4 cup heavy cream
Freshly grated nutmeg (about 12 downward strokes on the grater) or a generous pinch of freshly ground nutmeg.
2 cups (9 ounces all-purpose flour)
4 ounces ( 1 Stick ) unsalted butter
Parmigiano-Reggiano, for grating
Basil is not part of his recipe but had to add my own touch.
Few leaves of fresh basil lightly fried in oil ( few seconds should do it) Drain on paper towel.
SCRUB the potatoes and place them, unpeeled, in a large pot of boiling water. Steam until tender all the way through but not falling apart (a kitchen knife passes all the way through with some resistance).
IT'S important that the potatoes not be overcooked. (Overdone, they will absorb too much water and take up so much flour that the gnocchi will sink like heavy little stones to the bottom of the stomach.)
AS soon as the potatoes are tender enough to push through a vegetable mill, remove them from the the pot, but while they're still hot, peel them and pass them through the vegetable mill into a large bowl. (Don't be tempted to try a food processor for this; it will turn them to glue.)
ADD a healthy pinch of salt and the nutmeg to all the flour to the potatoes, working in the flour with a your hands; then knead the dough gently for about 5 minutes on a lightly floured board or wooden work surface.
TASTE and knead in more salt if you wish, but be careful not to overwork the dough - it should be soft and supple.
DIVIDE the dough into 4 equal pieces.
ROLL each piece into a rope about 3/4 inch in diameter and 8 to 10 inches long. Cut each snake into regular pieces about 3/4 inch long. Continue until all the dough has been rolled and cut.
IF you wish, roll each gnocco over the large holes of a cheese grater or along the tines of a fork to impress the soft dough with a pattern.
BRING a large pot of lightly salted water to a rolling boil and drop in the gnocchi. (Do this in two batches if it's easier.)
BOIL the gnocchi until they rise to the top, then remove them with a slotted skimmer and transfer them to the warm saute pan that has butter warm and melted.
Saute the gnocchi with butter for a few minutes. Add the fried basil at the end.
Plate and add the grated cheese.
Execution by etoknife.
Salt
3 russet potatoes or other starchy variety
1 egg whisked
1/4 cup heavy cream
Freshly grated nutmeg (about 12 downward strokes on the grater) or a generous pinch of freshly ground nutmeg.
2 cups (9 ounces all-purpose flour)
4 ounces ( 1 Stick ) unsalted butter
Parmigiano-Reggiano, for grating
Basil is not part of his recipe but had to add my own touch.
Few leaves of fresh basil lightly fried in oil ( few seconds should do it) Drain on paper towel.
SCRUB the potatoes and place them, unpeeled, in a large pot of boiling water. Steam until tender all the way through but not falling apart (a kitchen knife passes all the way through with some resistance).
IT'S important that the potatoes not be overcooked. (Overdone, they will absorb too much water and take up so much flour that the gnocchi will sink like heavy little stones to the bottom of the stomach.)
AS soon as the potatoes are tender enough to push through a vegetable mill, remove them from the the pot, but while they're still hot, peel them and pass them through the vegetable mill into a large bowl. (Don't be tempted to try a food processor for this; it will turn them to glue.)
ADD a healthy pinch of salt and the nutmeg to all the flour to the potatoes, working in the flour with a your hands; then knead the dough gently for about 5 minutes on a lightly floured board or wooden work surface.
TASTE and knead in more salt if you wish, but be careful not to overwork the dough - it should be soft and supple.
DIVIDE the dough into 4 equal pieces.
ROLL each piece into a rope about 3/4 inch in diameter and 8 to 10 inches long. Cut each snake into regular pieces about 3/4 inch long. Continue until all the dough has been rolled and cut.
IF you wish, roll each gnocco over the large holes of a cheese grater or along the tines of a fork to impress the soft dough with a pattern.
BRING a large pot of lightly salted water to a rolling boil and drop in the gnocchi. (Do this in two batches if it's easier.)
BOIL the gnocchi until they rise to the top, then remove them with a slotted skimmer and transfer them to the warm saute pan that has butter warm and melted.
Saute the gnocchi with butter for a few minutes. Add the fried basil at the end.
Plate and add the grated cheese.
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