Learn some tips for making perfectly light gnocchi from Italian chefs.
Our Italy tours this season included several cooking classes. After our walking tour in Venice we cooked fresh seafood straight from the Adriatic. In the town of Bolzano, after a day cycling down the Sudtirol Wine Road surrounded by the Dolomites and Alps, we cooked fresh mushrooms and white asparagus. One very special class was a collaboration between myself and an Italian chef, Chef Michael Seehauser in Bolzano.
Throughout the tours, our Italian chefs shared their recipes and techniques for making gnocchi. I’ve developed my own methods for insuring light and tender gnocchi, but learned some new techniques from Chef Michael. 
Chef Michael emphasized the proper choice of potato, something starchy like our russet potatoes is preferable. He peeled, then boiled them until tender, riced them while still warm, then places them in the refrigerator overnight. This allows them to dry out quite a bit. We both agreed the secret to tender, light gnocchi is to use as little flour as possible.
Chef Michael also recommends mixing in the eggs and salt in before adding the flour. He believes this allows the salt to be better distributed in the dough. He then adds nutmeg. I had just seen another chef add nutmeg to his gnocchi the week before, and it was just a few scrapes on the grater. Chef Michael added much more, probably close to 1/2 teaspoon or so. I liked the addition of the nutmeg, but will probably adjust the amount I add according to the final recipe – a sauce with some earthy flavors might bear more nutmeg, while something light and fresh I’d add a bit less.
Chef Michael’s tips:
- Use a starchy potato
- Rice when warm, so you don’t get mushy gnocchi
- Allow to cool, preferably overnight to insure they are as dry as possible.
- Add the egg yolks and salt before the flour, as the salt will better mix into the potatoes
- Add a lot of nutmeg
Once you make the gnocchi, here are some of my favorite recipes to use them in.
Gnocchi Crocconti di Sauris
Baked Cream and Tomato Gnocchi Gratin
Gnocchi con Crema di Montasio, Speck e Semi di Papavero
How to Make Gnocchi Like an Italian
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4
- Diet: Omnivore
Description
Homemade gnocchi, the way Nonna makes them. Fluffy potato dumplings, perfect in any sauce.
Ingredients
- 2.25 lbs (1021 g) starchy potatoes
- 5 egg yolks
- 1 tbsp salt
- 2 cups (473 ml) all-purpose flour
- 0.5 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
Instructions
- Peel and cut potatoes into large chunks. Place in a large pot of water, add salt, and bring to a boil. Cook until tender when pierced with a knife. Drain and allow to cool until able to handle.
- While still warm, rice the potatoes. Weigh 2 pounds of potatoes for gnocchi.
- Allow the 2 pounds of riced potatoes to cool to room temperature, and then preferably sit overnight in the refrigerator.
- When cool, add in the egg yolks and salt and mix to combine. Add in the nutmeg and flour, and mix again, just until combined.
- Fill a small pan with water and bring to a boil. Take a small piece of dough, about the size of a strawberry, and drop it into the boiling water. It will cook for about a minute and then rise to the surface. If it breaks apart, add a bit more flour to the dough and knead again.
- Dust the counter with flour. Divide the dough into between 4 and 5 equally sized pieces. Roll one piece out into a 1/2 inch thick, 18 inch long log. Cut the log into 1-inch lengths, and place the individual gnocchi onto a floured sheet pan. Repeat with the remaining dough pieces.
- Fill a large pot with water, bring to a boil, and season with salt. Add the gnocchi to the boiling water in small batches. Once they have risen to the top, scoop them out with a slotted spoon and lay them on a baking sheet to cool.
Notes
- For extra fluffy gnocchi, use potatoes high in starch content like Russet or Idaho.
- If the dough is too sticky, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time until it reaches a workable consistency.
- To prevent sticking, toss cooked gnocchi with a little olive oil before serving or storing.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 400
- Fat: 10
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Unsaturated Fat: 3
- Carbohydrates: 50
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 8
- Cholesterol: 100
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it important to use russet potatoes for gnocchi?
Russet potatoes are starchy, which helps create lighter and more tender gnocchi compared to waxy varieties.
What is the benefit of ricing the potatoes while they are still warm?
Ricing warm potatoes allows for better texture and helps release steam, which prevents the gnocchi from becoming too dense.
How much nutmeg should I add to the gnocchi dough?
Chef Michael recommended about 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg, but you can adjust this amount to suit your taste.
