Authentic Homemade Gnocchi (The Traditional Way)

🛒 Ingredients (Don’t Skimp)

• 🥔 2 lbs russet potatoes (must be starchy, not waxy)
• 🧂 1 ¼ tsp fine sea salt
• 🍳 1 large egg, room temp, gently beaten
• 🌾 ~1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (plus more for shaping)
• 🧈 Optional: melted butter, grated Parmesan, fresh herbs for finishing

🔍 Note: The flour amount varies depending on the moisture in your potatoes. You want just enough to form a dough—not a gram more.

🔪 Equipment You Actually Need

• Potato ricer (non-negotiable)
• Bench scraper (saves time and keeps things clean)
• Fork or gnocchi board for shaping
• Large wooden surface or countertop
• Slotted spoon
• Pasta pot

🧑‍🍳 Step-by-Step (No Shortcuts Allowed)

1. Bake the potatoes (DO NOT boil)

Why? Boiling = waterlogged. Waterlogged = gummy dough.

• Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
• Scrub potatoes, poke them with a fork, and place them directly on the rack or on a tray.
• Bake for 60–75 minutes, or until easily pierced with a knife.
• Let them cool for 10 minutes until warm but safe to handle.

2. Peel & rice

While still warm, peel the skins off with your hands or a knife.
Using a ricer (not a masher!), rice them directly onto your clean countertop in a wide, fluffy pile.

3. Make the dough

Sprinkle salt evenly over the potato fluff. Drizzle the beaten egg over the top.
Add about ¾ of the flour over the pile. Using your hands or a bench scraper, begin folding the mixture together.

⚠️ Key Tip: Do NOT knead this like bread. You’re not building gluten. Be gentle—press and fold.

Add remaining flour slowly until dough holds together in a ball that’s soft but not sticky.

4. Rest the dough

Wrap the dough ball in a kitchen towel or cover with a bowl. Let it rest for 20–30 minutes at room temperature.
This helps the flour hydrate and makes shaping easier.

5. Test the dough (optional but pro-level)

Cut off a tiny bit of dough, roll it, boil it.
If it falls apart—too soft, add a sprinkle of flour.
If it’s dense and chewy—too much flour, scale back.

6. Shape the gnocchi

Cut dough into quarters. Roll each into ropes about ¾-inch thick.
Use your bench scraper to cut 1-inch nuggets.
Optional: roll them over a fork or gnocchi board for the traditional ridges.

Dust lightly with flour and let them rest on a floured cloth or tray.

7. Boil like a pro

Bring a big pot of salted water to a low boil (not a raging one).
Gently drop gnocchi in—don’t overcrowd.
They’ll sink, then float when ready (about 2–3 minutes).
Scoop out with a slotted spoon.

8. Finish with love

Toss the hot gnocchi in a pan with melted butter, a pinch of salt, and herbs. Or finish with fresh pesto or a delicate tomato sauce.
Top with Parmesan and serve immediately.

💡 Expert Tips (Seriously)

• Don’t refrigerate the raw dough – it gets wet and sticky again.
• Always cook right away or freeze: Freeze raw gnocchi on a tray, then transfer to bags once solid.
• Work fast: The longer your dough sits, the more water it absorbs from the air.

❤️ Final Thoughts (from My Kitchen to Yours)

Yes, this is the hard way. It’s not weeknight-fast or one-pot-easy. But it’s the kind of recipe that teaches you something. About texture. About timing. About slowing down.

This is food that reminds you why cooking matters.

So grab your apron, cue up your favorite playlist, and let’s make something unforgettable—one pillowy dumpling at a time.