Prairie Racerunner Friends: Gnocchi di potato with Chef Gaby

Egg yolks and Potato Mounds before it's gnocchi

Thank-You Chef Gaby

On Wednesday, February 29th, Chef Gaby worked with the Prairie Racerunners to make a winter treat of gnochi to go along with our canned tomato sauce that we prepared after our trip to Echolective Farm in September.

Making gnochi was not only a tasty experience but one full of textile experiments in mixing eggs, rolling the dough and taste testing - of course. Please find the recipe below.

Chef Gaby explains testing gnocchi dough

Gnocchi di potate

Potato Gnocchi

Ingredients

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

4 organic russet potatoes

2 large free range egg yolks

1 cup un-bleached (all-purpose) wheat flour, plus more for dusting board and dough

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Spread a layer of kosher salt on a baking sheet and arrange the potatoes on top. Bake until a bit overcooked, about 45 minutes. Let sit until cool enough to handle, cut in half, and scoop out the flesh.

Pass the potatoes through a potato ricer or grate them on the large holes of a box grater. You should have about 2 cups.

Make a mound of potatoes on the counter with a well in the middle; add the egg yolks, a pinch of salt, and a pinch of black pepper.

Mix in the potatoes and mix well with hands.

Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the flour over the potatoes and, using your knuckles, press it into the potatoes. Fold the mass over on itself and press down again. Sprinkle on more flour, little by little, folding and pressing the dough until it just holds together, (try not to knead it.) Work any dough clinging to your fingers back into the dough. If the mixture is too dry, add another egg yolk or a little water. The dough should give under slight pressure. It will feel firm but yielding. To test if the dough is the correct consistency, take a piece and roll it with your hands on a well-floured board into a rope 1/2-inch in diameter. If the dough holds together, it is ready. If not, add more flour, fold and press the dough several more times, and test again

Rolling Gnocchi Dough

Keeping your work surface and the dough lightly floured, cut the dough into 4 pieces. Roll each piece into a rope about 1/2-inch in diameter.

Cut into 1/2-inch-long pieces. Lightly flour the gnocchi as you cut them.

Form them into the classic gnocchi shape with the tines of a large fork turned upside down. Take each piece and squish it lightly with your thumb against the tines while simultaneously pushing it away from you. It will roll away and around your thumb, taking on a cupped shape -- with ridges on the outer curve from the board and a smooth surface on the inner curve where your thumb was. The indentation holds the sauce and helps gnocchi cook faster.

When ready to cook, bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt. Drop in the gnocchi and cook for about 90 seconds from the time they rise to the surface. Remove the cooked gnocchi with a skimmer, shake off the excess water, and serve as desired.