Recipe: Ultimate Potato Gnocchi (serves 2) with four sauce options - Tomato, Browned Butter with Sage, Pesto, or Gogonzola Cream Sauce

ULTIMATE POTATO GNOCCHI (serves 2)

2/3 pound (about 1 large) potatoes
2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
About 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, divided use
1 egg yolk
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided use
pinch ground nutmeg
pinch pepper

Heat oven to 425 degrees F.

Prick potatoes with fork. (Do not wrap in foil.) Bake on oven rack or baking sheet 40 to 55 minutes or until tender when pierced with fork. Cool slightly; remove and discard potato skin. Pass potato through potato ricer or food mill.

Place 1 cup potato in medium bowl. Stir in cheese, 1/2 cup of the flour, egg yolk, half the salt, nutmeg and pepper until lightly mixed; transfer to lightly floured surface. Gradually knead in remaining flour until dough is smooth and soft. Roll to form 1-inch thick rope.

With knife, cut into 3/4-inch pieces. Pressing gently with thumb, roll each piece over tines of fork to form oval-shaped gnocchi with ridge pattern on one side and indentation on the other. Place on lightly floured wax paper-lined baking sheet.

In large saucepan, bring water to a boil; add gnocchi and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt to boiling water. Cook 1 to 2 minutes or until gnocchi rise to the surface. Using slotted spoon, remove gnocchi to large serving bowl or platter.

Toss with desired sauce:

TOMATO SAUCE:
Heat 3/4 cup of your favorite tomato sauce, add cooked gnocchi, toss with sauce and serve with grated Parmesan cheese.

BROWNED BUTTER WITH SAGE:
Heat 6 tablespoons butter in a medium skillet. When butter foams, add 8 whole fresh sage leaves and continue to cook until foam subsides and specks of protein in butter turn hazelnut brown. Pour butter over cooked gnocchi and garnish with the sage leaves.

PESTO:
Place the cooked gnocchi in a mixing bowl with 1/4 cup of homemade or commercial pesto and enough gnocchi cooking water to thin the pesto to a sauce that coats the gnocchi lightly. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese.

GORGONZOLA CREAM SAUCE:
Bring 1/2 cup of heavy cream to a simmer; add 1/4 cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese. When cheese melts, add cooked gnocchi and season to taste with salt and black pepper.

Servings: 2
Recipe adapted from Chef Todd Gray of Equinox Restaurant in Washington, DC.
Source: United States Potato Board