Today, you can learn how to make this great classic dish at home! Gnocchi is one of the best comfort dishes. Soft, fluffy pasta made with potatoes and you can make an endless variety of dishes with it.
Italy really knows how to make you feel good with food, don’t they?
My long-time readers already know that I like to make a crazy variety of food and I want to learn how to cook dishes from every ethnic cuisine. I love all kinds of different foods and I want to be able to have the knowledge of global cuisine in my arsenal. My ultimate goal is to write a cookbook, showcasing best dishes from every country. This is a long term goal, since I have to learn so many flavor pallets and different dishes first, and since I am already working on another cookbook. (More info to come!)
Well, I would have to say that I want to learn almost every ethnic cuisine. I may have to draw a line at grasshoppers, worms and other exotic delicacies. I’m reminded of the Indiana Jones Temple of Doom movie, where they dine at the Pankot Palace…those are not types of dishes that I would want ever try or learn. (If you are not familiar, don’t Google it if you are eating, just ate, or about to eat! If you are familiar with the movie, so sorry for the reminder and feast your eyes of this instead!)
But Italy…oh Italy… I want to eat my way through Italy and try every dish ever created there. It is my dream place and on my bucket list to visit (or live). I do love many different cuisines, like French, German, Russian (of course), Thai and many more, but Italian would have to be my favorite. I’m tiny-bit in love with Italy.
Gnocchi is one of my favorite classic Italian dishes. This pasta is so soft and light in texture with rich, yet delicate, flavor and makes for one filling dish at the same time. It is perfect with a wide variety of sauces, perfect in soups and baked dishes. It’s also great in appetizers or as a side dish. Gnocchi is a great thing to have in a freezer for any occasion.
Homemade Gnocchi
Ingredients
- 2 lbs potatoes
- 2 cups flour plus about 1/2 cup more for kneading and surface
- 1 egg
- salt
- pepper
Instructions
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You will need plenty of work surface so clear out a counter!
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Peel potatoes and cut out all the dark spots. Boil potatoes until completely done and easily mashed. Mash each potato with a fork util it looks like small coarse crumbs. (Don't over-mash it.)
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When potatoes are cooled enough to be handled, place them in a mount on your work surface.
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Add flour, salt and pepper over the top.
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Make a well in the potato/flour mount and crack the egg in the middle.
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Use a pastry scraper, or a metal spatula (or even a knife, carefully) to work flour, potatoes and egg together, until incorporated enough to knead.
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Knead the dough, adding a little more flour if the dough is too tacky, until smooth. Don't add too much flour, the dough should be moist but not sticky.
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Split the dough into several, workable pieces and roll each into about 1/2 inch - thick, long rope-like logs. Cut each into about 1-inch pieces. (You can use a fork to create a little design on each piece.)
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Gnocchi should be cooked right away or frozen.
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Cook: bring a pot of salted water to boil. Drop desired amount of gnocchi in it and once they float to the top, cook for about 2 more minutes.
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Freeze: Line large cutting boards with parchment paper. Spread out raw gnocchi on the paper (don't crowd them) and freeze for about an hour. Once completely frozen, place them into a freezer friendly, zip lock bag.
Recipe Notes
Recipe from Lyuba @ willcookforsmiles.com All images and content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to share this recipe, please simply link back to this post for the recipe. Thank you.
Rosemary Sun-Dried Tomato Gnocchi
After making a fresh batch of gnocchi, I froze most of it but make myself a quick dinner with some of it. This is very easy but it hold so much flavor, you will just sit there making yummy noise the entire time!
Simply cook 15-20 pieces of gnocchi, take them out of water with a slotted spoon and set aside.
In a small saute pan, heat up 2 tbsp of olive oil on medium heat. Add a clove of garlic (grated or minced), some fresh rosemary (about 1/2 Tbsp) and 2 Tbsp minced sun-dried tomatoes. Saute for about a minute, until fragrant and add gnocchi. Add a little salt if needed. Mix and saute for about a minute or two and plate. Top off with some freshly shredded smoked Gouda cheese and serve!
Check out these great recipes from other bloggers:
Baked Gnocchi With Bacon Tomato and Mozzarella from Simply Delicious
Loaded Chicken Alfredo Gnocchi Bake from Inside BruCrew Life
Ham and Cheese Gnocchi from Kevin & Amanda
More Recipes From Me!
Chicken Cordon Bleu Pasta Skillet
Baked Potato Soup
Zesty White Mac and Cheese
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Krista @ Joyful Healthy Eats
Ok, now this sounds delicious! I have been wanting to make gnocchi forever! Loving the sundried tomato rosemary sauce with it, great idea, sounds amazing Lyuba!
lyuba
I have a bit of obsession with sun dried tomatoes 😉
Thank you so much, Krista!!
Alice // Hip Foodie Mom
oh my goodness. . I love homemade gnocchi!!! I took a pasta class in Seattle last year and have been obsessed since then. . just take a little time and like you said, counter space! can’t wait to try your Rosemary Sun-Dried Tomato Gnocchi!! delicious! (ps: this post made me so happy today. . I love gnocchi!)
lyuba
I hope you will, Alice! Thank you 🙂
Me too!!
Marisa Franca @ All Our Way
As a 100% Italian I give your gnocchi 5+ stars . They look delicious and making them with the sun dried tomatoes gives the dish a beautiful touch of color. We’ve made a lot of those little pillows. Freezing them is so easy — that way you always have some on hand. We usually start making our gnocchi in October. We do the same with ravioli and then freeze them. I’m looking forward to your cookbook. Rest assured I will definitely purchase it and I can imagine that the photos will be fantastic.
lyuba
YAY! Thank you, Marisa!!
I’m saving some for a gnocchi soup late 😉
Ravioli is next in my book!
Lori Hart
Always wanted to try making this. I’ve made homemade pasta but never Gnocchi. Pinned
lyuba
I hope you will soon, Lori! Thank you so much!
Chris @ Shared Appetite
Gnocchi has been on my list to make for like… EVER! I keep telling myself, I want to make homemade gnocchi, and I just never seem to get around to it. I think this was the reminder nudge I needed to get my butt in gear and finally try it! Thanks!
lyuba
That’s me and Ravioli…I really need to make those! Thank you, Chris!
I hope you’ll make and share some soon!
heather @french press
I absolutely love gnocchi, an these look SO delicious!! wishing I wasn’t juicing still 🙁
lyuba
Well you know, they can be frozen! 😉
Thank you so much!
Joy
I don’t know which I like better, making home made pasta, or eating it!
Pam
this sounds so awesome, like all your recipes. I have very sore arms from health issues, could I knead the dough with my kitchen aid mixer that my great kids gave me for Xmas. I would love to make this but for now kneading it would be painful for me. Thanks for all your great recipes
Barbara Sharkey-Boyer
When you cook potatoes, how are you suggesting I cook them, baked, boiled, I am assuming as I would cook mashed potatoes. I want to make this! Its been a minute since I read the whole post
lyuba
Hello Barbara,
I’m so sorry for the late response! My cooking, I mean boiling the potatoes. I”m sorry for that confusion, I’ll make sure to make that clarification in the recipe.
Thank you!