GNOCCHI

The most important things to know about making gnocchi:

1) Quality of the potatoes: white potatoes, flowery, with good thick skin;

2) How to cook the potatoes: potatoes have to be well cooked but completely dry.

3) Quantity of flour: use as little flour as possible so the gnocchi don't become too rubbery. 

Ingredients:

- 1kg of white potatoes 

- 250g of fine white flour (00 flour) 

- 1 egg
- Pinch of salt

Preparation:

Potatoes can be either boiled or roast in the oven. In the oven: preheat the oven to 200C and bake them with their skin for about an hour until completely cooked through (about an hour). To check if they are ready I use a fork. If you don't have so much time then you can boil them for 20-30 minutes (depending on the size). To make sure they are completely dry even when boiled I use a little secret: I put the for up to a minute in the microwave. Peal the potatoes quickly (hard job as the potatoes are super hot) and mesh the potatoes. Scatter the flour over a clean work surface along with a pinch of fine salt. Make a well in the centre and add the egg. Quickly mix all together, with your hand, adding more flour if necessary, but stopping as soon as it comes together into a soft dough. Divide the dough in rolls of 1cm diameter each and then cut the with a sharpe knife the gnocchi -1cm length. Dust these with flour, and roll over the tines of a fork, pressing your thumb into the back, so you have an indentation on one side and grooves on the other. Put the finished gnocchi on a flour-dusted tray.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. Wait for the gnocchi to rise to the surface and remove them with a slotted spoon. Pour them in melted butter cooked for few minutes with sage. 

Serving:

Add pepper and parmigiano on top to taste.  Buon appetito!