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Main Course

Potato Gnocchi

April 16, 2015

 Last week I expressed my love for Gnocchi, this week I’m giving you my step-by-step break down of my simple, yet mouth watering Potato Gnocchi recipe.  Hope you enjoy my take on the dish!

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First up, start by taking two russet potatoes over a sheet of foil…

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…and season them with a pinch off salt.

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Wrap them in the foil and bake them in the oven for 90 minutes at 375ºF.

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After 90 minutes, remove them from the oven and unwrap the the foil.

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Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, use a pairing knife to peel the skins.

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Using a large mesh strainer, pressed the potatoes through the strainer.

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This will leave you with the base of your Gnocchi dough.

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Shred in about a 1/2 cup of Parmesan Cheese.

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Add 2-3 egg yolks…

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…and gently fold in the ingredients.

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Altogether you will add about 1 cup of flour, but you want to do this a 1/3 cup at a time…

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…kneading the dough for about 2 minutes in between adding more flour.

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Continue to add the flour until you have reached a cup’s worth and knead until you have a fully blended dough.

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Give your board a good flour to avoid the dough from sticking.

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Cut the dough into quarters…

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…and roll each quarter out to about 3/4″ in thickness.

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Cut each strip into even bite-sized pieces.

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Using a Gnocchi board or fork…

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…gently press each pillow of dough into the board…

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 …and let it roll down the board and over your finger. This creates grooves in the gnocchi that will help hold the sauce we’ll be using towards the end.

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 Add the Gnocchi to pot of salted boiling water.  Cook for about 5 mins, or until the gnocchi has floated to the top of the water.

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Once the Gnocchi is done cooking, add the strained dumplings to a pan on high heat, along with a couple knobs of butter to grease the pan.

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Give these a good saute until they are golden brown.

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Add 2 tbsp of chopped parsley…

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…2-3 tbsp of pine nuts…

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…half a squeezed lemon…

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…give that a quick toss and you are ready to serve!

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Top it off with some fresh parmesan…

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…a dash of chopped chives…

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…and there you have it…

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 …a classic Potato Gnocchi that everyone will enjoy!

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 | Top Left: Boos Cutting Board | Top Middle: Shun Knife Set | Top Right: Gnocchi Board |

 | Bottom Left: All-Clad Fry Pan | Bottom Middle: All-Clad Sauce Pan | Bottom Right: All-Clad Strainers |

Food for Thought

Gnocchi Around the Globe

April 15, 2015

I’ve always held a soft spot in my heart for Gnocchi. It’s rich, hearty, and can be served six ways to Sunday! For me it’s a treat, but for many it’s a common meal that’s been around for centuries. It’s so popular in Italy that they’ve dedicated an entire day to it! Thursdays are Gnocchi night and that is a beautiful thing.

The name Gnocchi is infamous for it’s origin; as in no one really knows where the name was derived.  Some believe it’s germanic in decent and means “knot.” Others believe it’s Italian and translates to “gnarl,” or or “knuckle.” One thing can be said for sure, it’s DELICIOUS.

Gnocchi, a type of dumpling served similarly to pasta, comes in many forms. While potato gnocchi is surely the most popular route to go, as well as the route I honored for #PotatoWeek, it can actually be made many different ways and from many different ingredients.

The most common types of Gnocchi are: Gnocchi di Patate, alla Romana, and Parisienne

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Gnocchi di Patate

This type of Gnocchi is the most prevalent around the world and my method of choice. It’s made by combining egg, potato, and flour into a paste-like dough. The dough is then rolled into ropes, sliced into pillow-like-cubes, boiled until they float to the surface of the water, and finished off with a pan sear in which ever sauce you desire.

Like pasta, you could top off Gnocchi with a rich cream sauce, an extravagant marinara, or even a simple olive oil and herb concoction. The possibilities are endless. Being the sauce man that I am, I always make my gnocchi with little grooves that help hold the sauce and maximize the sauce-to-gnocchi ratio.

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Photo Credit: Junglam.com

 Gnocchi alla Romana

The Roman version of this dish is made quite differently, but provides that same bite and a similar flavor as the Gnocchi di Patate, or Potato Gnocchi. Rather than using potatoes and flour, this type of Gnocchi is made using semolina, a coarse grind of high-protein durum wheat similar to polenta.  The Semolina is boiled in milk or water, spread onto a baking sheet to cool and harden, and lastly cut into round disks. The disks are layered into a baking dish and topped with butter, cheese, and an assortment of other tasty toppings that make your mouth water and stomachs growl. It’s baked to golden brown perfection and served straight from the hot pan. Makes my mouth water just thinking about the hot ooey, gooey, goodness that is Gnocchi alla Romana! 

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Photo Credit: Ouichefnetwork.com 

Gnocchi Parisienne

Of all the renditions of Gnocchi, the Gnocchi Parisienne is the most nostalgic. Some of you may know I used to work as a chef at Chef Thomas Keller’s Beverly Hills restaurant, Bouchon Bistro. If Bouchon being owned and operated by one of the most esteemed chefs in the business isn’t enough to bring you into their glorious doors, they are also known for their Gnocchi Parisienne, or Herb Gnocchi.

The french take on Gnocchi, these are made using pâte à choux, or simply put, a combination of flour, egg, and water, often mixed with herbs and cheese.  The mixture is then scooped into a piping bag, piped and cut directly into a pot of boiling water.  When the Gnocchi is done cooking, it floats to the top.  Same as you would the Potato Gnocchi, you would pan sear these with your favorite sauce, or veggies as we did at Bouchon.

This method is surely the most user friendly and leaves you with a lighter, airier, crisp dough. 


 Each variation of Gnocchi is grand on it’s own accord. Some interpretations of the dish are certainly easier to make than others and some may appeal to you more than others…but that is the beauty of Gnocchi. It represents versatility at its finest!

I urge you to give this recipe a try and even take it a step further by adding your own unique twist! If ever there was a signature recipe to hold in your back pocket, this is it. Friends and family alike will beg you to make this for every event and may even hold some just for the sake of enjoying this SCRUMPTIOUS and timeless treat. Enjoy!

Food for Thought

Why Are Potatoes So Addictive?

March 26, 2015

It seems like potatoes manifest themselves in almost every culture in some way, shape, or form. Of course, the largest contributor to this undeniable popularity is the simplicity in which potatoes can be cultivated and readily available, but in a day and age where grocery shelves are filled to the brim with a plethora of satiating choices, why is it that potatoes are still amongst the most popular items to buy?

Simply put, it’s because they are DELICIOUS. An extended explanation would point out that they can be grown in almost any climate, whether it be arid or tropical; they provide more nutritious sustenance faster and on less land than any other crop in the world, and they can be utilized to make just about any type of dish: cold, hot, fried, baked, sliced, dished, even alcoholic!

Around the world potatoes have been utilized in a number of ways…

China

China, the leading producer of the potato crop, has utilized the potato using more traditional cooking methods. It’s common to find diced or julienned potatoes in an assortment of stir-fries, steamed buns, stews, and more! Often paired with miso, soy, and/or sesame oil.

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In Ireland you are sure to come across a rich and creamy Potato and Leek Soup, or the leftover lover’s dream dish, the Shepherd Pie. An assortment of a veggies and meat, topped with creamy mashed potatoes and baked to a golden-brown perfect. 

Italy is known for their Gnocchi, a type of noodle/dumpling made by mixing mashed potato with flour. Often stuffed, these little guys are a refreshing alternative to the traditional pasta and are simply delectable.

polish

Poland is known for an assortment of Potato based dishes, ranging from the almighty and beyond appetizing Polish Potato Pancakes, to dumplings, to VODKA! 

Yes. I said it Vodka. Potatoes can be processed to make vodka and Poland is famous for it!

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In North America we enjoy all of the above, but nothing beats the Loaded Bake Potato.  A warm potato topped with butter, sour cream, chives, bacon bits and cheese…does it get any better?

Certainly it’s not a dish suited for daily consumption, but that’s why we have the Potato Salad, right? We are also known for our killer Hash Browns, Potatoes and Gravy, Potato Skins and of course not only our favorite, but the WORLD’s favorite dish…the French Fry; which funny enough isn’t french, but Belgian.

The most notable potato concoction made in the USA would have to be the Potato Chip, or the Saratoga Chip as they were once called.  Developed accidentally as Chef George Crum’s retaliation against a patron that kept sending back his fried potatoes, stating they were too mushy, the accidental genius was quickly noted and mass produced in no time!

Regardless of how you choose to prepare a potato one thing is undeniable…they are addictive for a reason:

Endless VERSATILITY.