Italian Potato Gnocchi
Gnocchi turn heavy and chewy for two reasons: too much flour and over-working the dough. Boil the potatoes in their skins so they absorb no water, add the flour gradually only until the dough just holds, and knead for 30 seconds at most.
- Prep
- 45 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 70 min
- Calories
- 330
Photo: Andy Li — CC0 · Wikimedia Commons
Gnocchi are Italian potato dumplings that are meant to be as light as clouds. The difference between light gnocchi and gnocchi like bricks is the quantity of flour — and the least possible is always right.
Method
-
1
Boil in their skins
Boil the potatoes whole and unpeeled in salted water for 30 minutes. Peeling or cutting them first makes them absorb water, and that water forces you to add more flour.
⏱ 33 min -
2
Peel them hot
Peel them while still hot and rice them with a potato ricer or pass them through a sieve. Hot potatoes release their steam and dry out — cold ones turn gluey.
⏱ 10 min -
3
Cool and spread
Spread the riced potato on the work surface in a thin layer and let it cool for 10 minutes. Spreading speeds the steam out.
⏱ 11 min -
4
Flour gradually
Sprinkle over only two thirds of the flour with the salt, nutmeg and yolk, and bring it together gently with your hands. Add more gradually until the dough just holds and is not sticky — then stop immediately.
⏱ 8 min -
5
Handle lightly
Knead for 30 seconds at most — just bring it together, no more. Kneading develops gluten, and gluten in gnocchi means a chewy texture.
⏱ 2 min -
6
Shape
Divide the dough, roll ropes 2 cm thick, cut them into pieces, and roll each piece down the back of a fork. Those ridges hold the sauce.
⏱ 18 min -
7
Brief boil
Boil them in salted water and lift them the moment they float to the surface — about a minute and a half. Any extra second and they absorb water and collapse.
⏱ 10 min -
8
Sage butter
Melt the butter with the sage until it browns and smells nutty, toss the gnocchi through it and scatter parmesan.
⏱ 6 min
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Tips that actually matter
- Boil the potatoes in their skins — cutting them first makes them absorb water.
- As little flour as possible. Add gradually and stop the moment the dough holds.
- Knead 30 seconds at most — more gives chewiness.
- Lift them the moment they float — floating is the only sign of doneness.
People also ask
Why are my gnocchi heavy?
Too much flour or too much kneading. Boil the potatoes in their skins so they absorb no water, add flour gradually and stop as soon as the dough holds, and knead 30 seconds at most.
Why do they fall apart in the water?
Either there is too little flour to bind them, or you left them in after they floated. Test a single one first — if it falls apart, add two more spoonfuls of flour and try again.
Which potatoes are best?
Floury potatoes (the kind for boiling and mashing), not waxy ones. Floury potatoes mash dry and need less flour; waxy ones stay wet and push you into adding more.
Cook mode
Italian Potato Gnocchi
-
1
Boil in their skins
Boil the potatoes whole and unpeeled in salted water for 30 minutes. Peeling or cutting them first makes them absorb water, and that water forces you to add more flour.
-
2
Peel them hot
Peel them while still hot and rice them with a potato ricer or pass them through a sieve. Hot potatoes release their steam and dry out — cold ones turn gluey.
-
3
Cool and spread
Spread the riced potato on the work surface in a thin layer and let it cool for 10 minutes. Spreading speeds the steam out.
-
4
Flour gradually
Sprinkle over only two thirds of the flour with the salt, nutmeg and yolk, and bring it together gently with your hands. Add more gradually until the dough just holds and is not sticky — then stop immediately.
-
5
Handle lightly
Knead for 30 seconds at most — just bring it together, no more. Kneading develops gluten, and gluten in gnocchi means a chewy texture.
-
6
Shape
Divide the dough, roll ropes 2 cm thick, cut them into pieces, and roll each piece down the back of a fork. Those ridges hold the sauce.
-
7
Brief boil
Boil them in salted water and lift them the moment they float to the surface — about a minute and a half. Any extra second and they absorb water and collapse.
-
8
Sage butter
Melt the butter with the sage until it browns and smells nutty, toss the gnocchi through it and scatter parmesan.
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