Jimmys Gnocchi Recipe

How to make it

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• Fill a large pot with cold water. Salt the water, then cut potatoes in half and place them in the pot. Bring the water to a boil and cook the potatoes until tender, 30-40 min.
• Remove the potatoes from the water place on a large cutting board and remove skin as soon as they are cool enough to work with. To mash the potatoes you can either push them through a ricer, or deconstruct them one at a time on the cutting board using the tines of a fork - mash isn't quite the right term here. I run the fork down the sides of the peeled potato creating a nice, fluffy potato base to work with. Don't over-mash - you are simply after an even consistency with no noticeable lumps. Save the potato water.
• Let the potatoes cool on the cutting board 10 - 15 minutes. When you are ready, pull the potatoes into a soft mound - drizzle with the beaten egg and sprinkle 3/4 cup of the flour, add the parsley & basil. Completely incorporate the flour and eggs into the potatoes. Scrape underneath and fold, scrape and fold until the mixture is a light crumble. Very gently, with a feathery touch knead the dough. This is also the point you can add more flour (a little at a time) if the dough is too tacky. I usually end up using most of the remaining 1/4 cup flour, but it all depends on the potatoes, the flour, the time of year, the weather, and whether the gnocchi gods are smiling on you. The dough should be moist but not sticky. Cut it into 8 pieces. Now gently roll each 1/8th of dough into a log, roughly the thickness of your thumb. Use a knife to cut pieces every 3/4-inch. Dust with a bit more flour.
• To shape the gnocchi roll each cut piece into a ball then place it in the palm of one hand and press with the thumb of your other until you have a small almost doughnut with the hole not quite going through See Photo. Set each gnocchi aside, dust with a bit more flour if needed, until you are ready to boil them. This step takes some practice, don't get discouraged; once you get the hang of it it's easy.
• Now either re-heat your potato water or start with a fresh pot (salted), and bring to a boil. Cook the gnocchi in batches by dropping them into the boiling water roughly twenty at a time. They will let you know when they are cooked because they will pop back up to the top. Fish them out of the water a few at a time with a slotted spoon ten seconds or so after they've surfaced See Photo. Have a large bowl or platter ready with a generous dollop of whatever sauce or Pesto you'll be serving on the gnocchi. Place the gnocchi on the platter. Continue cooking in batches until all the gnocchi are done. Gently toss with more sauce or pesto (don't overdo it, it should be a light dressing), and serve immediately, family-style with a drizzle of good olive oil on top. Parmesan cheese to taste.

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