Recipe: Parmesan Potato Gnocchi with Chunky Tomato Sauce

The following step-by-step instructions were supplied by the Idaho Potato Commission. If this is your first try at making gnocchi, follow the steps exactly. Then, once the basics have been mastered, experiment with different flavor additions and shaping techniques.

Parmesan Potato Gnocchi with Chunky Tomato Sauce

SAUCE
1 large red onion, finely chopped
4 medium plum tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup fresh tarragon, chopped
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1 large red pepper, julienne
1 large green pepper, julienne
1 large carrot, peeled, julienne
BASIC GNOCCHI
2 lbs. russet potatoes
l6 oz. flour
3 oz. Parmesan cheese, grated
5 eggs

Salt and pepper to taste Parmesan cheese, grated, as needed

FOR SAUCE:
In a skillet, heat olive oil. Cook onion for 5 minutes until tender, stirring occasionally. Add tomatoes, tarragon, basil, garlic and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to low; simmer uncovered 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until all the liquid is absorbed.

In a medium pot, blanch vegetables crisp tender. Stir into tomato sauce. Reserve.

FOR GNOCCHI:
Cook whole potatoes in their skins in boiling water until tender. Drain well. Let stand until just cool enough to handle. Peel potatoes and grate, rice or mash while hot. Combine floor and Parmesan, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add potatoes and eggs and mix just until ingredients am combined (do not overmix or mixture wit become tough and gummy).

On a floured surface, take one sixth of the gnocchi mixture and roll into a cylinder the size of a roll of dimes, continue with the rest of the dough. Cut gnocchi every 3/4-inch with a sharp knife. Place each of the gnocchi near the tines of a floured fork. Press the center of each piece with a finger end roll the dumpling toward you, allowing the tines to make decorative ridges. Place on a floured baking sheet. (If you haven't mastered the fork technique, the dumplings can be dimpled lightly with your finger.) Repeat until all gnocchi are formed.

To cook, bring 6 quarts of salted water to a boil. Add gnocchi in batches. When they float, taste for doneness then remove and drain. Toss with hot sauce and serve.

Servings: 8
Source: the Idaho Potato Commission

GNOCCHI ADDITIONS AND TOPPERS:

Consider the following additions to basic gnocchi dough:

- Chopped spinach, parsley, chives, onions or bitter greens.

- Nutmeg

- Herb blends such as herbes de Provence (basil, fennel seed, lavender, marjoram, rosemary, sage, summer savory and thyme blend), or for a spicy note, Mexican or Southwest blends.

- Cheese-use a variety of grated cheeses as well as smoked cheeses

- Pureed vegetables for color and flavor. For example, squash and pumpkin enhanced with sage makes a hearty gnocchi base. (Note: when using pureed vegetables you may need to add more flour to the basic recipe because of the added water content of the puree.)

SOME PRESENTATION TIPS:

- After cooking in boiling water, brown gnocchi in flavored oils or butter and serve simply with cheese or an elegant white, Alfredo, garlic or pesto sauce. Top as you might a mashed potato-with chopped tomato, cream, bacon pieces or shavings of Parmesan cheese.

- Top with sauteed mushrooms and squash of the season then sprinkle with pine nuts or walnuts for crunchy texture contrast.

- Top with beurre blanc (a classic French butter sauce made up of wine, vinegar and shallot reduction into which cold butter bits are incorporated to make a thick sauce) in lieu of butter for a more assertive, lively flavor.

- Fill a crisp-fried Parmesan disk (which has been shaped into a bowl) with gnocchi for an elegant plate presentation for a catered dinner.

- Add gnocchi to hearty stews.

Source: Food Management, July 1999