Homemade Potato Gnocchi { How Italians Make It}

Discover how to make soft, pillowy and flavorful potato gnocchi in a couple of easy steps.

This classic Italian pasta is one of the ultimate comfort foods that exist.

Enjoy it with pesto alla genovese, tomato sauce alla sorrentina or simply with butter and sage.

For perfect gnocchi make sure to use starchy red skin potatoes with yellow flesh like Desiree potato.

Of course you can make half portion, using 2 pounds potatoes and 2 cups flour, but since you are doing all the prep work, believe me it’s worth making the whole portion if not doubling it.

You can freeze gnocchi and use them as needed. They are good in the freezer up to 6 month.

Here’s what you need:

Ingredients

4 lb potatoes

4 cups (520g) flour + a little more if needed

2 eggs

Salt

Tools

Potato Ricer

Gnocchi Board (optional)

How To Make Potato Gnocchi Step-by-Step

Preparing potatoes

Start by washing potatoes and putting them in large pot with cold water. Add salt. Bring potatoes to boil and cook for 30-40 minutes until done.

Do a fork test, if the fork goes in smoothly and potato is soft – it’s ready.

Run them under cold water. Cut each potato in half to release steam. Peel off the skin.

If potatoes are still hot let them cool and release steam and water excess.

Gnocchi dough:

Sift previously measured flour and mound it on your work surface.

Make a hole in the center of the mound using your hands or pressing a bottom of a measuring cup.

Add slightly beaten eggs.

Pass peeled potatoes through a potato ricer with fine disc or a fine mesh food mill.

Using a dough scraper ‘chop’ and combine all ingredients.

Using your hands (well floured) knead the dough just until it starts to come together.

Be careful not to over-knead it. If you knead for too long the dough will need more flour, which will make your gnocchi hard instead of soft and pillowy.

Rolling the dough and gnocchi:

Sprinkle some flour over your work surface. Cut off a piece of dough and roll a finger-thick rope, approx. ½ inch thick.

Using a scraper cut rope into ½- ⅔ inch pillows.

Flour a wooden gnocchi board. Using your thumb finger, press and roll each pillow over the gnocchi paddle.

If you don’t have gnocchi board handy, use a simple tool you sure have in the kitchen – a fork.

Or you can leave your gnocchi ridges-free. They’ll taste great anyway.

Once first batch is ready sprinkle it lightly with semolina or regular flour to prevent from sticking.

Repeat the process with the rest of the dough.

Preparing gnocchi for freezing:

Once a batch of gnocchi is ready, cover a tray that could go in the freezer with a kitchen towel. Generously sprinkle it with flour. Transfer gnocchi on the tray and put it in the freezer for 20-30 minutes. Once gnocchi start to become hard, take them off the tray and put in freezer zip lock bags.

Full Recipe

How To Make Potato Gnocchi – Step By Step

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Potato gnocchi is one of the ultimate comfort foods that exist. In a couple of easy steps you can make soft, pillowy & flavorful gnocchi in your own kitchen.

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Prep Time45 minutes mins

Cook Time3 minutes mins

Total Time48 minutes mins

Course: Pasta

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: 8

Ingredients

• ▢ 4 lb potatoes
• ▢ 4 cups (520g) flour + a little more if needed
• ▢ 2 eggs
• ▢ Salt

Tools

• ▢ Potato Ricer
• ▢ Gnocchi Board (optional)

Instructions

Preparing potatoes:

• Start by washing potatoes and putting them in large pot with cold water. Add salt. Bring potatoes to boil and cook for 30-40 minutes until done.
  Do a fork test, if the fork goes in smoothly and potato is soft – it’s ready.
• Run them under cold water. Cut each potato in half to release steam. Peel off the skin.
  If potatoes are still hot let them cool and release steam and water excess.

Gnocchi dough:

• Sift previously measured flour and mound it on your work surface.
  Make a hole in the center of the mound using your hands or pressing a bottom of a measuring cup.
• Add slightly beaten eggs.
• Pass peeled potatoes through a potato ricer with fine disc or a fine mesh food mill.
  Using a dough scraper ‘chop’ and combine all ingredients.
• Using your hands (well floured) knead the dough just until it starts to come together.
• Be careful not to over-knead it. If you knead for too long the dough will need more flour, which will make your gnocchi hard instead of soft and pillowy.

Rolling the dough and gnocchi:

• Sprinkle some flour over your work surface. Cut off a piece of dough and roll a finger-thick rope, approx. ½ inch thick.
• Using a scraper cut rope into ½- ⅔ inch pillows.
  Flour a wooden gnocchi board. Using your thumb finger, press and roll each pillow over the gnocchi paddle.
• Once first batch is ready sprinkle it lightly with semolina or regular flour to prevent from sticking.
• Repeat the process with the rest of the dough.

Preparing gnocchi for freezing:

• Once a batch of gnocchi is ready, cover a tray that could go in the freezer with a kitchen towel. Generously sprinkle it with flour. Transfer gnocchi on the tray and put it in the freezer for 20-30 minutes. Once gnocchi start to become hard, take them off the tray and put in freezer zip lock bags.

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How to cook gnocchi

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add salt and drop gnocchi in small batches.

Give a gentle stir. Gnocchi cook very fast. Once they rise and float to the top they’re are ready to drain.

Don’t use your regular pasta drainer. Use skimmer spoon/strainer instead and drain gnocchi in small batches. This will prevent them from damaging and you can easier control serving portions as well.

Buon Appetito!