Kitchen Moxy

Gnocchi, pronounced NYOW-kee, are Italian dumplings made with flour, eggs, and potatoes. Gnocchi can be served in tomato sauce, tossed with pesto, or sautéed with butter and herbs. Homemade gnocchi are soft and pillowy inside and are far superior to store-bought dried gnocchi. Give homemade a try and serve with your favorite sauce.

Brown butter sage sauce recipe follows; prepare ahead if desired. See steps below for easy reheating.

Ingredients

• 1-3/4 to 2 pounds of potatoes (about 5 medium). Do not peel potatoes. Use starchy potatoes, such as russets or Yukon Gold
• ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1-1/2 teaspoons of salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon of ground nutmeg (fresh if possible)
• 1 large egg yolk, beaten with a fork (save white for another recipe)
• 1 cup (or more) all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons of butter for sautéing

Process

1. Cover potatoes with at least 1″ of salted water and boil potatoes whole for about 20 – 25 minutes or longer. Potatoes should be fork-tender. Transfer to a large bowl. Cool slightly about 10 minutes.
2. When cool enough to handle, peel potatoes and cut into chunks.
3. Mash potatoes until smooth.
4. Mix in Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
5. Add egg yolk and mix until blended.
6. Slowly add 1 cup of flour. Knead for about 2 minutes until the dough is smooth. If it feels too sticky, add more flour, one tablespoon at a time.
7. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment.
8. Set a large pot of salted water on the stove to boil.
9. Divide dough into 4 equal pieces.  Roll 1 piece on a lightly floured surface into a 24-inch-long rope.
10. Cut the ropes into 3/4-inch (2 cm) pieces. Press each piece lightly against the tines of a fork to form ridges; don’t press too hard. Lightly dust with flour and toss so pieces don’t stick together. Repeat with the remaining dough. Let the gnocchi rest 20 minutes before boiling.
11. Melt two tablespoons of butter in a large skillet. Set aside until gnocchi are ready to be sautéed.
12. Spoon gnocchi in the large pot of boiling salted water until they float to the surface; boil for 1 minute longer.
13. With a slotted spoon, transfer gnocchi to skillet with melted butter. Sauté all gnocchi over medium-low heat until they begin to brown, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes.
14. Optional: Sprinkle with chopped walnuts.
15. Cover with your favorite sauce and serve.

Sage Brown Butter Sauce

Ingredients

• ½ cup of butter
• 1/3 cup thinly sliced fresh sage leaves, see Tip below
• 1-1/2 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel

Process

1. Cook butter in a medium skillet over medium-low heat until it starts to brown, about 4 minutes. Stay nearby and stir or move the butter with a spatula so it browns evenly and becomes golden brown. Watch closely to avoid burning the butter.
2. Add sage leaves and lemon peel. Remove from heat.
3. Season with salt and pepper. Set sauce aside until ready to use.

Tip

1. Remove the stems by cutting the leaves from the stem.
2. Stack the leaves with the largest leaf at the bottom and the smallest at the top. Align the leaves.
3. Roll the leaves tightly to create a cylinder.
4. Slice with a sharp knife into thin, even ribbons. Aim for consistent thickness. Use the ribbons right away.