Gnock Your Socks Off Gnocchi With Pesto Genovese

Gnocchi is the famed Italian dumpling, and these potato jewels were always one of my favorites as a primo piatto when dining at an Italian restaurant. When done right, their light, airy texture and full potato flavor give them a unique place in the pasta family with a long tradition in classic European cuisine. Many regions lay claim to the origins of gnocchi (pronounced n’YAW-kee). The word gnocchi is thought to come from either nocca, the Italian word for knuckes, or the Lombardian dialect khnohha, which means knot or walnut. They are generally associated with Northern Italy, but are found all across the peninsula in many various forms, and depending on region, are made with a variety of base ingredients such as semolina, cornmeal, chestnut flour, almond flour, bread, ricotta, or vegetables such as pumpkin, spinach, or the classic potato. The potato version dates back to about the sixteenth or seventeenth century after Spanish explorers brought the potato back from South America and introduced them to Italian kitchens. Other forms have been around since before the Renaissance era such as Lombardian zanzarelli, made from bread, milk and ground almonds, or the Tuscan malfatti, usually a spinach and ricotta gnudi.

Despite some sore fingertips, and some required patience and persistence, the recipe is not terribly difficult. For those of us with Parkinson’s or other mobility impairments, using a vegetable mill or ricer will be much easier than trying to grate the potatoes and send through a sieve. If you don’t have a mill or ricer, just be patient, you can do it, it just may take a little longer. I also have a little trouble kneading the dough because my left hand has limited movement. I try because it is good exercise. You can always get a friend to help with both the grating and kneading. It’s more fun cooking with friends anyways!

Ingredients
Serves 4-6

4 large Russet potatoes
2 1/2 C flour, 1/2 C more for working dough
1/2 t salt
2 eggs
Note: Use 1 potato per serving and for each potato 1/2 C flour. Use one egg for 2-3 servings.

Method
Boil potatoes skin on in just enough salted water to cover them for about 25 minutes
Remove potatoes and drain well.

Peel boiled potatoes being sure to remove any brown spots under skin.
Send potatoes through ricer or vegetable mill. If you don’t have either of these tools, grate potatoes and either press through a sieve or mash gently with a fork.
Let rest on dishcloth for 5 minutes to absorb excess water.

Mound milled potatoes on a clean dry counter top and dust with sifted flour.
Sprinkle with a little salt.
Make a well using your hands to scoop out the center of the mound as if you were making fresh pasta.
Break egg into center of the well and beat with a fork.

Incorporate ingredients by slowly pulling flour and potato into egg.
Begin to form dough by using your hands to combine ingredients.
Knead dough by pulling together ingredients. Don’t over-knead or add too much flour. The dough should have a loose, airy texture and not be to sticky or dense.

Shape dough into a long rectangular loaf.
Cut dough in about 10 pieces 4 inches long.

Roll each piece gently into a sausage shaped log. Make each log evenly distributed.
Cut logs into one inch pieces using a pastry cutter or unserrated knife.

To keep gnocchi soft, keep them in a cool area and toss with a little extra flour.
Here you can use a fork to indent ridges in the gnocchi or indent gently with your thumb. This isn’t necessary but adds a nice touch.

Gently shake off excess flour and place gnocchi in a large pot of salted boiling water.
Cook until they gently float to the top ( about 3 minutes).
Remove with a slotted spoon and drain well.
Toss them in a saucepan with your favorite sauce for about 2 minutes. They go great with the pesto recipe I give here. They also go great with a glass of Gavi di Gavi, a white wine made from the Cortese grape hailing from the Piemonte region of Northwest Italy. The wine is noted for its bone dry character and a crisp, flinty and fresh acidity reminiscent of a Chablis (don’t get mad French people!). The floral bouquet offers delicate aromas of white flowers, lemons, green apples and honeydew. It is a perfect match for the pillowy gnocchi and the zesty green pesto.

Pesto Genovese alla Kevo

Ingredients

2 bunches fresh basil leaves, rinsed and placed in ice bath
1/2 C extra virgin olive oil
1/2 C grated Parmesan Reggiano
1/4 C grated Pecorino Romano
1/4 C pine nuts
2 garlic cloves, chopped
Juice of one lemon
Sea salt to taste

Method

Place all ingredients together in food processor or blender and pulse until smooth.
If you want to go the more traditional route, use a pestle and mortar.

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