In-Season: Potatoes
Whether boiled, mashed, roasted, steamed, fried or baked, potatoes have become an integral part of American cuisine, and for good reason. I like to think of them as shapeshifters. These spuds can be p...
Homemade Potato Gnocchi with Brown Butter Sage Sauce
Makes roughly 3 pounds of gnocchi
In this Italian classic, potatoes, flour, egg and salt combine to create pillowy, soft dumplings that can be dressed in any sauce. Yukon Gold are the preferred potatoes, as they are creamier and richer in flavor than other starchy varieties. While all-purpose flour can be used in a pinch, “00” flour created the most satisfying texture in testing. When making a batch, freeze half for a cold, rainy day and dress the rest in Brown Butter Sage Sauce. It’s comfort on a plate.
Gnocchi
2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed
2 cups “00” flour, plus more for dusting
1 large egg, lightly whisked
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for boiling the gnocchi
Brown Butter Sage Sauce
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1.5 pounds boiled gnocchi
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
½ cup unsalted butter
30 sage leaves
3 garlic cloves, finely sliced
Zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Grated parmesan, for serving
Cover potatoes with water in a large pot and bring to a boil. Boil for 25 to 30 minutes or until tender. Place the potatoes in a colander and slice them in half to allow steam to escape. When cool enough to handle, remove the skin from each potato. Press the peeled potatoes through a potato ricer or mash them with a handheld masher. Let the mashed potatoes cool for 5 or so more minutes; they can be slightly warm but should not be steaming. Dump the mashed potatoes on a lightly floured surface and create a well in the middle. Add the egg and salt to the well. Add half of the flour to the mixture and chop and fold everything together with a dough scraper. Continue adding the remainder of the flour. Lightly knead the mixture into a smooth ball; it should be soft and silky but not sticky. Do not overwork the dough. Divide into 8 pieces.
Line a baking sheet with a clean kitchen towel and dust with flour. Sprinkle your work surface with flour. Using your palms, begin rolling out one piece of dough into a rope about the diameter of your index finger. Use the dough scraper or a knife to cut the rope into ¾-inch pieces. One at a time, roll the pieces down a floured gnocchi board or the back of a fork to create ridges. Transfer each shaped piece to the floured baking sheet. Continue with the remaining dough.
At this point, you can freeze the gnocchi to use later. Place the baking sheet full of gnocchi into the freezer and, once frozen, store the gnocchi in a sealed container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To cook right away, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season the boiling water with salt and drop in 10 to 15 gnocchi. After about 30 seconds, they will float to the surface. Once floating, wait another 15 seconds before removing with a slotted spoon to a bowl. (If you serve the gnocchi with a simple tomato or pesto sauce, you can transfer the gnocchi directly from the water to the sauce.)
Use half of the prepared gnocchi for the following Brown Butter Sage Sauce.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1.5 pounds of the boiled gnocchi and season with salt and pepper. Fry the gnocchi for 7 to 8 minutes, turning occasionally, until browned and crispy on each side. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Reduce the heat to medium and add the butter to the same skillet. Once melted, brown for 2 to 3 minutes or until light brown and fragrant. Add the sage leaves and fry them for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and fry for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Add the browned gnocchi back to the pan. Add the lemon zest and juice, tossing to combine for 1 minute. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Divide the gnocchi between 2 to 3 bowls, grate Parmesan cheese on top, and serve.
Related Stories & Recipes