Italian Gnocchi Recipe

Italian Gnocchi Recipe

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 cups boiling water
2 cups instant potato flakes
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 beaten egg yolks
1 pinch nutmeg (optional)

Preparation Instructions:
Boil the water, add the salt, oil, and potato flakes. Stir until well combined. Cover with saran and let cool to room temperature. Beat in the two egg yolks only, and stir well. On a board place the two cups all purpose flour, and add the potato mixture. Knead all together well until combined. This will work do not add any more liquids, just keep kneading together. You will now have a smooth slightly sticky dough. Cut small piece of dough and roll out into finger width ropes. Cut each rope into small 1/2 inch size little pillows. Place onto a parchment lined cookie sheet single layer and fast freeze. When frozen solid, place into freezer baggies and return to freezer for future use. This is a tip: do not leave dough on counter covered to roll out or finish later. Always fast freeze after cutting. The reason I do this is that sometimes, the humidity , flour, potato reactions, after sitting out can make everything return back to the soft gooey stage. Has happened to me when I used regular bolied fresh potatoes, so I always do this now. When ready to serve, bring large pot of boiling water to a boil, and season with one tablespoons salt. When rapidly boiling add frozen gnocchi, and stir so they don’t stick to bottom. When all gnocchi float to the top let cook another two minutes, then drain. Serve with your favourite tomato sauce and meatballs, or with roasted chicken and a sage butter sauce, or even after pan frying chops or steak, remove meat, and pan fry frozen gnocchi in the steak fat until golden brown, and warmed thru. You can also add these to chicken broth just before serving to have a chicken dumpling soup. Lots of things you can do with gnocchi right out of the freezer.

Photo credit: Geoff Peters 604