Recipe - Gnocchi (Potato Dumplings)

6 lg Idaho or russet potatoes
2 tablespoon Salt; plus 1 teaspoon
1 ds Freshly ground white pepper
2 Eggs; beaten
4 cup Unbleached flour
Grated Parmigiana cheese;
for serving

Boil the potatoes in their skins about 40 minutes, until easily pierced
with a skewer. When cool enough to handle, peel and rice the potatoes, and
set aside to cool completely, spreading them loosely to expose as much
surface as possible to air. (The reason for this is to allow as much
evaporation of moisture as possible to avoid the need of additional flour,
therefore keeping the gnocchi light).

Before proceeding further, bring 6 quarts of water and 2 tablespoons of the
salt to a boil.

On a cool, preferably marble work surface, gather the cold riced potatoes
into a mound, forming a well in the center. Stir the remaining 1 teaspoon
salt and the white pepper into the beaten eggs and pour the mixture into
the well. Work the potatoes and eggs together with both hands, gradually
adding 3 cups of the flour and scraping the dough up from the work surface
with a knife as often as necessary. (Incorporation of the ingredients
should take no longer than 10 minutes. The longer the dough is worked, the
more flour it will require and the heavier it will become).

Dust the dough, your hands, and the work surface lightly with flour and cut
the dough into six equal parts. Continue to dust dough, hands, and surface
as long as the dough feels sticky.

Using both hands, roll each piece of dough into a rope 1/2inch thick, then
slice the ropes at One half inch intervals. Indent each dumpling with a thumb,
or use the tines of a fork to produce a ribbed effect. (This facilitates
adhesion of the sauce).

Drop the gnocchi into boiling water a few at a time, stirring gently and
continuously with a wooden spoon, and cook for 23 minutes, until they rise
to the surface. Remove the gnocchi from the water with a slotted spoon or
skimmer, transfer them to a warm platter, adding a little sauce of choice,
and boil the remaining pieces in batches until all are done. Sauce as
desired, add freshly ground white pepper to taste and, if appropriate,
grated cheese, and serve immediately.

Yield: 4 servings.

Formatted by suechef@sover.net

Recipe by: CHEF DU JOUR #DJ9254

Posted to MCRecipe Digest by Sue suechef@sover.net on Mar 21, 1998