Gnocchi tips?

[Mr. Imperial]

Lay 'em out for me folks. Tonight I experienced major Gnocchi Failure. I have half a batch that are made but not cooked, so I'll try boiling them for longer next time. After that, though, I'm starting fresh. Recipes? Words of advice? Words of derision?

 

[ouch]

When I make gnocchi, I bake my potatoes on a bed of salt to help dry them as much as possible. A little egg, a little flour, and a very light touch.

 

[Mr. Imperial]

When I make gnocchi, I bake my potatoes on a bed of salt to help dry them as much as possible. A little egg, a little flour, and a very light touch.

The recipe I used called for 2 cups of flour, which seemed crazy. They did turn out a bit doughy. They boiled well, but in the mouth they sort of fall apart and taste floury. I dunno. I found a recipe on foodnetwork.com that I'll try next.

 

[Big Kev]

It has been a long time since I have made gnocchi. But I do have a good recipe at home and was planning on making them soon. I would make them with my Italian grandmother. When we made a batch we would always freeze them, lay them out on a cookie sheet or some thing like that with wax paper between the sheet and the gnocchi, make sure they don't touch or they will freeze together. Once frozen then you can transfer them to their own bag and throw them all together. Keep them frozen until you have the water boiling. Add as many as you want to use. They should sink when you first put them in the water. When they are floating on top they are done, take them out or they will get soggy.

I don't know what recipe you use but I have my grandmother's. If you would like to try it I can PM it to you.

Good luck, I might have to make some now...

 

[Jim]

Here is another thread from a while ago.

 

[Luc]

What I said in Jim's quoted thread...

I usually make mine with 1 medium size potato. 1 egg, a tablespoon of butter. A bit of nutmeg and I add the flour until it holds together.

Another trick is to make sure that you don't mix it too much. Otherwise it will be tough. When It's ready, I put in a bag, cut a corner, squeeze it out and cut with scissors. I poach them until they float.

 

[DFrancis]

When I make gnocchi, I bake my potatoes on a bed of salt to help dry them as much as possible. A little egg, a little flour, and a very light touch.

I've always had mine too wet and had to add too much flour for my liking, I will try the bed of salt idea next time.

 

[Rughi]

The key for me getting consistently good results was to use a ricer. It's gentle in the way it mashes, much as folding is a gentle way to mix.

Roger

 

[Mr. Imperial]

Thanks for the link, and the tips. Should've been able to find that on my own, d'oh.

Lacking a ricer, I grated the potatoes. That could've brought out some of the doughy-ness, I think, since I was essentially creating the first step in making glue. And I used wheat flour, which I didn't think would make a difference, but perhaps it did.

My wife and I don't usually eat potatoes (it's kind of a waste of a vegetable to me, since you have to manipulate it so much to make it edible...YMMV), so I'll probably turn the rest of the bag into twice-baked or mashed. This recipe will probably be relegated to the "come back to me later when you have more kitchen gear" shelf.

 

[homebrewer]

As others have said, a key point it to handle them very gently, and add as little flour as possible. Treat them very delicately, like biscuit dough.

Secondly, make sure that you add them to, and remove the from, the water very gently. A spider is best for this job. You should need to remove them with a spider. If you're able to pour them from a pot into a colander, and they stay whole... you're doing it wrong. Tender and soft is the goal....

 

[antoine1]

When I make gnocchi, I bake my potatoes on a bed of salt to help dry them as much as possible. A little egg, a little flour, and a very light touch.

Yes...use just enough flour to hold the potato together rather than be prescriptive. Minimum of working .

 

[Obiwan]

The key for me getting consistently good results was to use a ricer. It's gentle in the way it mashes, much as folding is a gentle way to mix.

Roger

The ricer is key. I also mix potato with ricotta (usually about 70/30), I feel this combo makes them very light.