PARMESAN AND POTATO GNOCCHI

2 pounds Idaho baking potatoes
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup grated Reggiano Parmesan cheese
spicy tomato sauce (to serve)

TO PREPARE THE POTATOES:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Bake the potatoes for 1 hour or until tender. Let cool 5 minutes. Using a potholder to hold the hot potatoes, peel them with a paring knife. Using a ricer fitted with the smallest disk, rice the peeled potatoes. Add 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and sage. Allow approximately 10 minutes for the steam to subside.

TO MAKE THE GNOCCHI:
Sprinkle the flour and cheese into the riced potatoes very slowly and gently. Using your hand, incorporate all the flour until the dough is very smooth.

Cut the dough into 4 or 5 balls. Roll each one into a long sausage-shaped roll. Cut the roll into pieces about 3/4 to 1 inch in length.

Using the back of a floured fork, press ridges into one side of the gnocchi. Make an indentation on the other side. This will allow the gnocchi to cook evenly and will also create ridges to hold the sauce.

TO COOK THE GNOCCHI:
In a large soup kettle, heat at least 5 quarts of water. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil. Reduce to medium heat and poach the gnocchi, two dozen at a time, until they float. It should not take more than 2 minutes for each batch. (Resist the urge to cook all the gnocchi at one time. The water will take too long to reboil, and the gnocchi risk turning into one mass.)

Retrieve the gnocchi from the water with a slotted spoon and transfer to a warm plate. Repeat until all the gnocchi are cooked.

Serve with a spicy tomato sauce.

Servings: 6
Source: Incredible Cuisine by Jean-Pierre Brehier