Homemade Potato Gnocchi

My homemade, light and fluffy gnocchi recipe is a dish you really have to make just once in order to see how darn easy it is to create your own. These potato gnocchi are something that will exceed your expectations to the point that you will never want to go back to store bought again. You’ll be hooked and you’ll never settle for less than these “melt-a-way gnocchi” which is exactly how one of my students described these little bundles of love. I want you to know how easily you can master this so make sure to watch my VIDEO that goes with this recipe where I take you step-by-step on how to make them including a Gorganzola Dolce Cream Sauce.

Yes, it does take some motivation but you only need about an hour after you bake the potatoes to make them. Once you start rolling out the potato ropes, cutting and then rolling them off a fork to make the little impressions …it’s a breeze! Not to mention when making the gnocchi you will end up with ample supply so you will be able to flash freeze the rest of what you don’t use for future dinners. You will be thrilled that all the hard work has already been done and now you just take them from the freezer to the boiling water, and then to the sauce. Enjoy! Make sure to watch my YouTube cooking show above that goes with this recipe and don’t forget to subscribe on my YouTube channel so that you can receive my latest cooking show releases!

Ingredients:

4.5 lbs. Russet Baking Potatoes (approx. 5-7 lg potatoes) use scale in produce dept.
2 cups all purpose flour
2 lg eggs
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp fresh grated nutmeg
1 recipe Gorganzola Dolce Cream Sauce with Fresh Thyme
or 1 recipe Pasta Sauce Tomato Basil
or 1 recipe video Pasta Sauce Tomato Basil VIDEO

Directions: Pre-heat oven to 400º

Wash and pierce potatoes
Bake potatoes for 1 hr. on middle rack until fork tender
Cool slightly so you can handle them, 20-30 min.
Slice potatoes in half and scoop potato flesh into potato ricer
Rice two halves at a time into ex-lg bowl
Repeat, ricing all the potatoes
Make a well in the middle of the potatoes then add in flour, salt and nutmeg into the well
Add in 2 whisked eggs
With a spatula mix just to incorporate ingredients
Turn out onto counter and kneading for 1 minute until ball forms…Do Not Over Knead
Cut ball into 8 wedges, take one section at a time rolling out into a long rope
Slice rope into 1/2″ pieces, roll each potato piece off a fork to form indentations
Continue to do this until you go through all the potato dough
Bring large pot of salted water to a low boil
Add in gnocchi continuously, a few at a time, into boiling water
Using a slotted spoon gently give a swirl to help them not to stick to the bottom
NOTE: the boiling water should not be a full rapid boil but a low one
As soon as they float to the top remove with a slotted spoon and add to your sauce
Place the gnocchi you are not cooking right away onto cookie trays covered in parchment and flash freeze until solid, approx. 2 hrs.
Once completely frozen place gnocchi into Ziploc baggies and place back into freezer
When you are ready cook flash frozen gnocchi go directly from the freezer to the boiling water, give a couple of stirs so as not to clump at the bottom. NEVER thaw first or leave on counter too longer especially marble or granite because they will thaw quickly

Homemade Italian Meatballs

Got to love homemade authentic Italian meatballs! No matter how you look at it spaghetti and homemade meatballs is an all time American favorite. Not that I wouldn’t have eventually gotten to one of my meatball recipes but I am dedicating this recipe today to my good friend Laura who has requested a recipe for homemade meatballs…hope you like these Laura!

I have many different ways to mix up the meat percentages using varying cuts like beef, veal, pork or beef and pork, or just turkey when I am trying to cut back on beef. This recipe is your basic 100 percent beef meatball, inspired by the way my mother use to make them with a 2 day old loaf of good Italian bread instead of using processed bread crumbs.

I used to stand by the stove frying the meatballs in olive oil but these days who really has the time? So I have come to the conclusion that they taste exactly same baked in the oven at a high temperature…saving lots of labor and time. I suggest you try my pasta sauce 101 while making these homemade meatballs because granted the meatballs are wonderful right out of the oven fresh baked without any sauce but it goes to a new level when you simmer them in the sauce for a good hour or 2. And don’t forget to have that crusty loaf of sourdough bread for dunking or my pesto garlic bread, and if you are really serious you might attempt my mothers Maria’s manicotti’s the next day. Some sides or appetizers to go with the spaghetti and meatballs might be a zucchini torta, bacon wrapped scallops, or baked coconut shrimp…enjoy!

Ingredients – Makes 21 Small Meatballs:

1 lb. Angus beef

1 large egg (rule of thumb …1 egg per lb. of meat)

1/2-3/4 cup after soaked in milk – (1/2 loaf of 2 day old Italian bread soaked in 1 cup milk)

1/2 cup grated Reggiano Parmesan cheese

1 lg. garlic clove put thru garlic press

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

1 Tsp salt

1/4 Tsp ground black pepper

1 cup milk

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 425º

Break up a 1/2 loaf of 2 day old Italian bread and place into a large bowl as shown in photo

Pour 1 cup milk over bread and let it absorb for 10 minutes

Wash, spin, dry and finely chop parsley, set aside

Discard outer crusts from soaking Italian bread

Begin to break soaking bread pieces apart with your fingers…if you feel any gooey pieces throw those away (if it sat out for a couple of days it won’t get gooey)…the bread should just fall apart easily

Take 1/2-3/4 cup of this soaking bread and add to a large mixing bowl

To this bowl add in Parmesan, chopped parsley, garlic clove thru garlic press, salt and pepper and 1 egg

Whisk til just combined

Add in 1 lb. of Angus beef and begin to mix gently with your hands…DON’T over work the meatballs you don’t want it to look fully combined like a meatloaf

Using a cookie scooper begin to shape and roll mixture with your hands – they will be small about 1 1/2″…have a small bowl of water to the side to keep hands damp not wet (this makes it easier to rolls meatballs)

Spray cookie tray with Pam canola oil

Place 21 shaped meatballs onto the cookie tray and spray the tops of the meatballs

Place them into the oven for 17 minutes…mangia mangia : )