Description
This Homemade Gnocchi recipe features tender, pillowy potato dumplings made from roasted russet potatoes, eggs, and flour. The gnocchi is shaped by hand and cooked until they float, then served with your favorite sauce for a comforting and authentic Italian dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Potatoes
- 4 large russet potatoes (about 3 lb. total)
Dough
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
For finishing
- Semolina flour, for dusting
Instructions
- Roast Potatoes: Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400°F (204°C). Poke the potatoes all over with a fork to allow steam to escape. Place them directly on the oven racks and roast for about 1 hour, or until a knife easily pierces through. Remove and let cool slightly.
- Prepare Potato Flesh: Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them in half lengthwise and scoop out the insides, discarding the skins. Pass the potato flesh through a ricer or mash well with a fork to ensure smoothness. Transfer the mashed potatoes to a large mixing bowl.
- Make the Dough: Add the eggs, flour, and 2 teaspoons of kosher salt to the mashed potatoes. Mix gently with a wooden spoon until the ingredients come together into a dough.
- Knead Dough: Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, about 3 minutes. Avoid overworking so the gnocchi stays tender.
- Shape Gnocchi: Sprinkle a baking sheet with semolina flour to prevent sticking. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. Roll each piece by hand into a long rope about 1/2 inch in diameter. Cut the ropes into 1-inch pieces and arrange on the semolina-dusted sheet. Toss gently with semolina to coat. If the dough feels too soft to handle, freeze the pieces for 10 minutes.
- Create Ridges: To help sauce cling better, roll each gnocchi piece along the back of a fork’s tines to create characteristic ridges, then return them to the baking sheet.
- Cook Gnocchi: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Drop the gnocchi in batches into the boiling water. When they float to the surface, about 2 minutes, use a slotted spoon to remove them.
- Serve: Toss cooked gnocchi immediately with your preferred sauce and serve warm.
Notes
- Roasting the potatoes instead of boiling them reduces moisture, resulting in fluffier gnocchi.
- Use a potato ricer for best texture, but a fork will also work if mashed well.
- If the dough is sticky, chill it briefly before shaping to make handling easier.
- Coating with semolina flour prevents sticking during shaping and cooking.
- Do not over-knead the dough; overworking can make the gnocchi dense.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: homemade gnocchi, potato gnocchi, italian gnocchi recipe, soft potato dumplings, easy gnocchi
