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Year of the Noodle: Week 17
I made this dish soooo long ago, I barely remember eating it. I photographed it back in April when I made it, but between moving across town, taking several trips to the Midwest, and finding wedding season upon me, I didn’t manage the time to blog it. So now, two months later, here it is.
I do remember that the gnocchi recipe came from Mario Batali, and it wasn’t all that great. Something about the gnocchi turned out a little too doughy, less fluffy and light. Probably my technique, but they kinda made a thud in your tummy. The sauce was a tomato basil cream sauce that I cannot find the recipe for (this is what happens when you wait two months to blog.) Trust me, you aren’t missing too much on that front.
Yes, I realize gnocchi isn’t a noodle per se, but it is a form of pasta. Sort of. I’m allowing myself leniency on this one – just go with it :)
Gnocchi
Ingredients
- 3 pounds russet potatoes
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 egg, extra large
- 1 pinch salt
- 1/2 cup canola oil
Directions
Boil the whole potatoes until they are soft (about 45 minutes). While still warm, peel and pass through vegetable mill onto clean pasta board.
Set 6 quarts of water to boil in a large spaghetti pot. Set up ice bath with 6 cups ice and 6 cups water near boiling water.
Make well in center of potatoes and sprinkle all over with flour, using all the flour. Place egg and salt in center of well and using a fork, stir into flour and potatoes, just like making normal pasta. Once egg is mixed in, bring dough together, kneading gently until a ball is formed. Knead gently another 4 minutes until ball is dry to touch.
Roll baseball-sized ball of dough into 3/4-inch diameter dowels and cut dowels into 1-inch long pieces. Flick pieces off of fork or concave side of cheese grater until dowel is finished. Drop these pieces into boiling water and cook until they float (about 1 minute). Meanwhile, continue with remaining dough, forming dowels, cutting into 1-inch pieces and flicking off of fork. As gnocchi float to top of boiling water, remove them to ice bath. Continue until all have been cooled off. Let sit several minutes in bath and drain from ice and water. Toss with 1/2 cup canola oil and store covered in refrigerator up to 48 hours until ready to serve.