Fine Food, Fine Pork...That's All.

8.26.2008

Food Mills and Gnocchi

If you ask any chef for a good Potato Gnocchi recipe you are likely to get the same answer from all of them:  Gnocchi is a technique.  The best you could hope for is a vague ratio.  The first thing you will need, however, is a food mill of some sort.  

My wife and I recently visited our favorite antique mall.  I was especially pleased when I came across an old Foley food mill.  I am not sure what year it is from but it's durability tells me that it comes from another time.  I have wanted a food mill for some time but was not willing to pay the going rate of $40 and up that the newer (and less durable) models cost.  This one only set me back $10.  

To start off you will need to bake some russet potatoes and make sure they are completely done.  While they are still hot, peel them and cut them into manageable chunks.  I use a towel to hold them while I peel them with a pairing knife.  Run the potatoes through your food mill onto a clean counter top and form a small nest with the pureed potatoes.

Put one egg yolk for every potato used inside of the nest.  Add salt and any other seasoning you wish at this time.  Sprinkle a good sized handful of flour over the potato and eggs and use a bench scraper to "chop" everything together.  The reason for incorporating the flour in this way is that over mixing the potato will cause it to release too much starch and become gummy.  

Next, use your hand to extrude (squeeze) the mixture to further incorporate the flour.  Add more flour if it is too wet.  You want the final product to be slightly moist to the touch but dry enough that it holds itself together.  Gnocchi is considered a technique partly because it takes practice to know when you've added enough flour.  
Roll out a section of your gnocchi into a long snake and cut into 1" pieces using your bench scraper.  If you prefer, use the back of a fork to roll your gnocchi over to make those little lines that are so good for soaking up sauce.  
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a gentle boil and drop the little dumplings in.  When they float, they are done and ready to be added to whatever delicious sauce you have created.  
This time around I made a sauce of reduced cream and gorgonzola cheese and served them with grilled bison ribeye.  Cheers!

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