I enjoy eating these little light Italian dumplings, but I’d never attempted making gnocchi from scratch before. I decided to give it a go as one of my 52 new things.
Deceptively simple, and very budget friendly, here’s how I got on for my first attempt. It’s something I’m definitely going to make again!
What Is Gnocchi
The Italians don’t half do good food. Whilst pizza and pasta are probably the first dishes that spring to mind when we think of food from the country, gnocchi is an often overlooked delicious meal time staple.
Gnocchi is a type of dough made with potatoes. Using cooked potatoes, they are mashed and usually combined with flour, egg and salt to make the dough consistency. Traditionally it is then rolled out and cut into small pieces, and each individual dumpling may then be pressed into a more rounded shape, and sometimes pressed with a fork to create some texture.
I’ve always considered gnocchi as an Italian alternative to pasta or pizza. Similarly to pasta, it is usually served in some sort of sauce, although, when served with just a few ingredients such as butter, sage, and parmesan, the simple results can be incredibly flavoursome.
Is It Difficult Making Gnocchi From Scratch?
Not really – it’s pretty much just kneading ingredients together to make a dough.
No matter what recipe you follow, you’ll only need a few ingredients which are readily available.
Of course it’s quicker to buy them pre-made, but it’s more satisfying to make your own.
The only downside to making your own gnocchi is creating more washing up than when you use ready made!
Finding A Recipe
I don’t know about you, but I like to read a recipe before I commit to making it. It’s always good to check whether the ingredients are easy to get hold of, if I’ve got all of the equipment I need, and if the instructions make sense for me to follow them.
I’d seen quite a few recipes that looked very involved, and there was a lot of variation in methods. I found one from Jamie Oliver that I liked the look of. He’d picked this method up in Rome as a great way to make fresh gnocchi. It was straightforward, and rather surprisingly, this didn’t include an egg in the ingredients.
The Make
Firstly I needed to cook the potatoes. Using Maris Pipers as recommended, I left them in the skins and put them in a pan of boiling salted water. Once they were tender, I drained them and left them to cool.
Next it was a case of removing the skin and mashing the potatoes, then combining them with flour before kneading the mixture into a light dough.
I added a bit of flour at a time until the consistency felt less wet and seemed to be holding together.
Splitting it into more manageable pieces, I rolled the dough into a long strip, and then cut it into individual gnocchi. I decided not to add any texture or pattern to the dumplings, I was nervous that any sort of embellishment could impact how they cooked, so I kept mine low key and plain.
Cooking
This was the most daunting part of the process for me. To cook the dumplings in order to use them in a dish, they needed to be placed into a pan of boiling salted water. After just 3 minutes, they should rise to the top of the pan and be ready.
Gently, I lowered my dumplings into the water. I braced myself. Would they fall apart? Would they rise? Would they stick to the bottom? The water bubbled. And then, one solitary dumpling floated to the surface, and then another and another.
Carefully scooping them out with a slotted spoon, I put them into an empty bowl until they were all cooked.
Making A Meal
I wanted the gnocchi to be star of the show seeing as they were what this make was all about. I put them into a very simple sauce that I made consisting of chopped onions, tomatoes, garlic and basil, topped with some parmesan.
The Taste Test
Eating with our eyes first, I don’t think my gnocchi looked the prettiest and they also seemed quite big.
In terms of consistency, they weren’t quite as firm as gnocchi I’ve bought in a shop, but they held together and had a lovely light and fluffy texture
The simple sauce worked really well. It gently combined with the dumplings without over shadowing them, and the Other Half gave the whole dish a big thumbs up! Winner!
Why You Should Try Making Gnocchi From Scratch
- Deceptively simple to make, you can impress guests by making your own gnocchi from scratch.
- They are cheap to make and the ingredients are easy to get hold of.
- Combine them with your favourite sauce for an ultimate bowl of comfort food.
- They’re relatively quick to make.
- Once you’ve got the technique, there are lots of things you can do to experiment with them, such as adding herbs or using different potatoes.
- It’s a hands-on make, and is a great recipe idea for making with kids.
Want To Try It Yourself?
- To make the same gnocchi that I did, you’ll need to follow this Jamie Oliver recipe.
- There are lots of recipes on-line and in books for gnocchi, so why not have a look for one that feels like it would work for you.
- Why not ask friends or relatives if they have a recipe to make gnocchi from scratch which they could share with you?
Cost Of Experience
- I already had all of the ingredients in to make gnocchi from scratch.
- If you need to buy the ingredients for the gnocchi alone, it should cost around £2.50. It will depend where you shop, but you’ll have plenty of flour left for other bakes and makes.
- The accompanying sauce will cost extra and will vary depending on what ingredients you include.
Recommendations
- Wear an apron. I seemed to get flour everywhere, so it’s good to protect your clothes.
- Keep it simple. I’d recommend a simple sauce for your first attempt, so that your home made dumplings are the star of the dish.
- Enjoy. Take the time to enjoy your homemade gnocchi, and don’t forget to take some pictures of your efforts.