Description
This homemade potato gnocchi recipe yields soft and pillowy Italian dumplings made from baked russet potatoes, flour, egg, and sea salt. The gnocchi are shaped by hand, boiled until they float, and can be served with your favorite sauces like marinara or pesto for a delicious, comforting meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 2 pounds russet potatoes (3 to 4 medium-large)
- 1 large egg (beaten)
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled, plus more as needed)
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 425°F to prepare for baking the potatoes.
- Bake Potatoes: Poke holes in the potatoes with a fork, place them on a baking sheet, and bake for 45 to 60 minutes until tender when pierced with a fork.
- Prepare Potatoes: Once cool enough to handle but still warm, peel the potatoes and either pass them through a ricer or mash them with a fork until smooth.
- Form Dough Base: Transfer the mashed potatoes to a lightly floured surface in a wide, thin mound. Drizzle with beaten egg and sprinkle with salt and one-third of the flour. Fold the mixture using your hands or a bench scraper to combine.
- Add Flour Gradually: Sprinkle another third of the flour over the dough, folding and kneading lightly. Continue adding the remaining flour gradually, kneading as little as possible until the dough is soft, pillowy, and not sticky. Avoid overworking the dough.
- Shape the Dough: Form the dough into a ball and cut it into 8 equal pieces. Dust your work surface and hands with flour, roll each piece into a 1-inch diameter rope, then cut into ¾-inch pieces.
- Optional Gnocchi Shaping: Dip a fork’s tines in flour, hold it parallel to your work surface, place a gnocco on the fork tines, and press with your finger to create ridges and indentations for better sauce adherence. Repeat for all the pieces.
- Boil Gnocchi: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add a third of the gnocchi and cook for about 2 minutes or until they float. Remove with a slotted spoon into a colander and repeat with remaining gnocchi.
- Serve: Serve the gnocchi hot with marinara sauce, pesto, or your choice of accompaniments.
Notes
- Use russet potatoes for their starchy texture which yields fluffier gnocchi.
- Do not overwork the dough to keep the gnocchi tender.
- If dough is too sticky, add more flour sparingly.
- Ridge the gnocchi with a fork for better sauce adherence, but this step is optional.
- Cook gnocchi in batches to prevent them from sticking together.
- Serve immediately for best texture, or toss with a little oil if storing briefly.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: potato gnocchi, homemade gnocchi, Italian dumplings, baked potato pasta, soft gnocchi
