In all my research, I have yet to see a good recipe that doesn't warn the reader that its measurements are an approximation, and that only by developing a sense of how the dough should feel will you be able to home in on just how much flour to add and just how much (or how little) the dough needs to be worked. Do not knead too much or add too much flour, as gnocchi will become heavy. Let it rest for a few minutes, then, using a clean and dry bench scraper, slice off about an inch-thick slab. Looks like the stork dropped off a little gift. You should freeze it instead, removing it from the freezer right before frying and do not let them sit to room temp, the colder they are before you fry them the crispier they'll be once done. Welcome guests to your home this autumn with rustic gourd garlands, decorated pumpkins, and wreaths and centerpieces made from foraged materials. When you are first learning to make gnocchi, I want you to add an egg “just in case’. I also made batches using only my hands. Just flour it well on the outside to prevent it from sticking to your hands and the work surface when you roll it and cut it into gnocchi. Then I scoop them out with a strainer and dump them in the skillet with the sauce. Once gnocchi rise to the surface, continue cooking about 2 minutes more. There are so many delicious ways to use this hard-shell squash, from soups and salads to lasagna and pizza. From which platforms to use and the best books to read, bibliophiles share their advice. But no, you don't have to set the bar at alchemical levels, thinking that the only correct way is to transform inherently heavy potato and flour into little white orbs that vanish into a mist as soon as you take a bite. But the truth is also that those potatoes are much more prone to gumminess than starchy russets are. Dust these with flour, and roll each over the tines of a fork, pressing your thumb into the back, so you have an indentation on one side and grooves on the other. Surprisingly, in my tests, I didn't find that I needed to add much more flour to the dough with yolk: Roughly a quarter cup of flour per pound of potato was the ballpark ratio that worked for me, whether I was using yolk or not. At this point, you can carefully spoon the gnocchi into bowls, top with cheese, and serve. I like sifting, since it aerates the flour and provides very even coverage. Truth is, it can work either way. Your gnocchi should be just firm enough to withstand the gentle tossing. Pat it into a log and dust all over with flour to prevent sticking. Once they’ve been formed into dumplings, lay them in a single layer on two baking sheets, cover with cling film and freeze until solid, then transfer to sandwich bags and keep for up to 2 months. Yes, potato gnocchi can be tricky, and yes, they will likely require some trial runs before you become expert at making them. Cut dough into three equal pieces. I did the right thing and wandered off to the couch each night so that she could rest. "Baby, the couch is so hard and uncomfortable, and you're sick: I should sleep there! Learn how to minimize the spread of germs with an extra few seconds of scrubbing. If all goes well, you'll end up with about a half-inch-thick snake of dough, like this. All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. Here's a tip: Be gentle as you roll (since pressure will flatten the tender snake and prevent it from rolling), and try to use your palms more than your fingers, since fingers have a tendency to leave indentations that will lead to thick and thin spots along the snake. At the high end, I saw some recipes that called for a full cup of flour per pound of uncooked potato, while others called for as little as a quarter cup per pound. Locatelli's right not to overwork the dough or you'll begin to develop the gluten in the flour, leading, yet again, to fatally chewy results – I find it easiest to mix everything straight on to the work surface as Hartnett suggests. Butternut squash might be fall's most versatile (and beloved!) Pan-fried gnocchi can be made a day in advance, and simply fried and tossed in a herby butter on the day. As pillowy as they may be, that butter will do a number on your skin. Locatelli puts the oven on low, so he can dry the cooked potatoes out before use, but a better idea comes from Hartnett, who bakes the potatoes on a bed of rock salt (presumably to absorb any moisture). Pretty soon, they'll start floating to the surface. Gather mixture together and turn out onto work surface; knead, adding more flour as necessary to prevent sticking, until dough comes together. Post whatever you want, just keep it seriously about eats, seriously. Some people claim that the ridges help the sauce cling to the gnocchi better. Then simmer the gnocchi in that sauce, tossing, for just a few seconds to bring it all together. Once you've become comfortable with that, start making batches without yolk until those come out well, too. After trying out a handful of these ratios across the spectrum, my preference falls at the low end: The less flour you can add to the potato while still managing to make a cohesive dough, the better, since additional flour only increases the density of the gnocchi while diluting their potato flavor. I am making a gnocchi dish tonight for 20 people and I absolutely have to pre-cook ahead of time since I will be serving other dishes and there will be no room in the stove or oven. Moister potatoes will require more flour; drier ones less. It should be cooked through, with no raw flour core, and tender throughout. Gnocchi – are you a potato, polenta or ricotta person, or do you prefer your dumplings a little more robust and on top of a stew? I've even seen multiple versions of Canora's recipe, sometimes with egg yolk and sometimes without. Now, take about two-thirds of your flour, and sift it all over the potato. The worst that happens is you waste a potato or two in the process. In Italy, opinion is split, with some regions favoring yolks while others shun them. Using the same before-and-after weight tests, I was able to debunk the moisture theory: Potatoes baked on a bed of salt lost roughly the same amount of water weight as those baked either on a rack or directly on a baking sheet. Make sure everything's lightly floured, from your hands to the tray on which you arrange the shaped gnocchi: although you don't want to add too much excess flour to the dough, clumping is a crime even more heinous than chewiness. Some HTML is OK: link, strong, em. Once they're peeled, use a potato ricer if you have one, or push the cooked potato through a fine sieve from a little height to get some air into it, as Ursula Ferrigno recommends. But yolk-y gnocchi (say that five times fast) are also firmer than their egg-free counterparts, and, while the effect is very subtle, they have less of a clear potato flavor.