Serves 4
Ingredients
-for the gnocchi:
1 kg floury potatoes
300g all-purpose flour
-for the sauce:
300g Castelmagno cheese, or a dry mature cheese.
50g butter
1 glass white wine
Freshly ground pepper.
1 tablespoon cream (optional)
Method:
- for the gnocchi
1. Boil the potatoes in unsalted boiling water until tender (c.30 minutes).
2. Place the drained potatoes in a very low oven (about 50-100°C) for 5 minutes, to dry them out. This reduces the amount of flour needed to make the gnocchi.
3. Let them cool enough to peel them.
4. Mash the potatoes very well on a cold surface, ensuring there are no lumps
5. Pile the flour on your work-surface and gently incorporate it into the potatoes by kneading it in little by little.
6. The dough cannot be sticky, so adding a little more flour may be necessary. It’s all by feel; the drier the potato is, the less flour you have to use. When the dough is not sticking to your hands, it is ready to shape.
7. Chop a handful of dough from the mixture, and roll out into a ‘sausage’ about the thickness of your thumb. Cut this into 2.5cm lengths and put a dent in each, using your thumb, to make a pillow (this will capture the sauce).
Repeat until all the potato mix is used.
8. Drop the gnocchi in boiling salted water. If making a large amount, cook in batches. The gnocchi are ready when they rise to top. Scoop them out with a slotted spoon and drain them
9. Put the gnocchi in a pre-heated serving dish and gently fold in the castelmagno sauce to fully coat them.
- for the sauce
1. On a low flame, add the butter to a pan.
2. When the butter is melted, add the cheese, broken up into pieces.
3. When the cheese melts, add the white wine
4. Allow to simmer on low for 5-10 minutes, season with pepper. If desired, add a spoonful of cream.
"Making gnocchi requires feeling – you cannot rely on precise measurements. Adding an egg to this mixture can make it more manageable, but your gnocchi
will not be as light!"
"Making gnocchi requires feeling – you cannot rely on precise measurements. Adding an egg to this mixture can make it more manageable, but your gnocchi will not be as light!"
Portofino
