So gnocchi is one of the many typical italian dish and it is part of the deepest italian culinary tradition!But for a second can we stop with all this boring italian story bla bla and ask ourself the real question....
HOW DO WE PRONOUNCE " GNOCCHI"?
Italian is a very difficult language, I totally get it! The alphabet is different from english like we pronounce the " E" as in elephant and not as in "easy". The way that english speakers pronouce the "E" in italian is instead " i". So it is very hard for us speaking enlish and I get how hard could be speaking italian! Luckily we are here to help!This will definitely make some Italian happier next time you will have to order this dish!
I guess the best way to help you is...Pretend that GNOCCHI is instead written as "NYOKKEE" You must say the Y and stress its sound a little longer that you normally would. That's it. You are ready to rock some italian heart now!
Doses for 4 portions
INGREDIENTS
- 1kg of potatoes
- 300gr di flour
- 1 egg
- a pinch of salt
It is thought that the gnocchi were the first type of pasta used, it seems the first time they appeared it was around the 1500 when for the first time potatoes arrived from the America. Today gnocchi are one of the favourite dishes for Italians and not only ;)
We suggest to use white potatoes, even better if they are older, because they are rich of starch e poor of water. This will allow you to use less flour, the right combination between flour and potatoes is around 25-30% .
PROCEDURE
Let’s start from the potatoes, wash them and put them in a pot full of cold water. When the water is boiling count 30-40 minutes and keep on the fire until you will be able to stick the fork in with ease.
When they are ready peel them still hot, but be careful do not burn yourself, and smash them. Put them on a work surface and make a little “mountain” with them, put the egg in the center of it with a pinch of salt. Add a small quantity of flour per time and mix it together with the hands. I suggest to start first with 200gr of flour, adding the rest little at a time, it is important not to knead too much to avoid to make it too sticky. If you think that the dough is too wet you can add a little more flour but do not overdo it, because it could make it harder when you cook them .
When the dough becomes uniform and medium consistent pull off a piece at a time and make many long cylinders with a finger diameter, by gently rolling them under your hands on the floured worktop ( you need to do this having floured hands to avoid the dough to stick on your hands) .
Cut all cylinders in 2cm pieces to create the gnocchi, you can “decorate” them using the back of the fork to do some line. Applying light thumb pressure on the prongs of the fork. This is a method used to increase porosity of the gnocco and help the sauce to stuck on it more. In Italy as a tradition we use the “arricciagnocchi” to do this ;D
While you are making the gnocchi put them on a base covered with a little flour making sure to put them apart from each other, I suggest to put a cloth on a tray or on the table.
Cook the gnocchi in a pot full of boiling salted water, the gnocchi are ready when they will float on top of the water.
Enjoy with your best sauce!
SUGGESTIONS
You can season them always in a different way, with tomatoes sauce, pesto or any other sauces to your taste.
You can froze them as well, for this put them on a floured tray/plate and after put it in the freezer, after about 30 minutes put them in a food bag, keep going until you finish them. You can cook them directly without unfrozen them, you just need to put them in a salted boiling water.
You can avoid to use the eggs if you like, just using 350gr of flour instead of 300gr ;)
If you are not good with the fork do not worry just cut them in pieces :D
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