We can all agree that store-bought gnocchi is pretty good. It’s hard to argue with a soft potato dumpling covered in your favorite sauce. However, once you’ve made home-made gnocchi, there’s no going back. Home-made gnocchi is more tender and has more potato flavor than the store-bought ones. If you enjoy social cooking, they are also very fun to make as a group (and making them goes a lot faster, too!).
Special Equipment
- Grater for medium/fine shredding or a potato ricer
- Optional: gnocchi board
Most box graters have a large, medium, and small grating side. This recipe uses the middle size most graters have. You can also use a potato ricer (like this one) to avoid the hassle of grating the potato.
A gnocchi board is a ribbed board used to add texture to the gnocchi so it holds sauce better. I haven’t used one; I usually use a fork to add surface texture to the gnocchi. However, using a fork is much more time consuming than using a gnocchi board, so if you would like to reduce the length of time it takes before you’re eating delicious gnocchi, a gnocchi board might be for you. Check this one out if you’re looking to buy.
Detailed Method
Making gnocchi may be time consuming, but the process itself is relatively simple.
Place a large pot of water on the stove over high heat and lightly salt the water. Allow to come to a boil while you prep the potatoes.
Weigh out your potatoes, aiming slightly above the 2lb mark. You will be removing the skin and any blemishes on the potatoes, so it’s best to add a couple of ounces.
I’ve used both russet potatoes and Yukon gold for this recipe and both work beautifully. Russet potatoes are considered more starchy, while Yukon gold are considered to be quite waxy, so whichever potato you choose to use, it will likely work just as well as any other.
Wash the potatoes and cut out any blemishes, then cut into quarters or sixths, depending on how large the potatoes are. Aim for similarly sized pieces to ensure similar cooking times.
Boil the potatoes until they are soft enough that a fork pierces them easily. Drain and set aside to cool. You will be able to see the skins begin to peel off as they cool.
While the potatoes are cooling, mix together the gluten free flours, xanthan gum, and salt in a small bowl and set aside.
Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel off the potato skins. After the potatoes are peeled, it’s time to begin grating them. Use the “medium” side of the grater, pictured below. Do not use the large side or the side that feels like it’s trying to bite you when you use it (the actual small side).
The grated potato should have a consistency like so:
Continue until all of the potato is grated, then add the prepared flour mixture. Toss to mix, breaking apart any clumps of potato, until the potato is thoroughly coated in flour, as below.
In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs until combined, then pour into the potato mixture. Mix until fully incorporated. You will likely have to knead the dough to allow the potato and flour to fully incorporate. Once mixed, the dough will hold its shape well and will be the consistency of soft clay.
Lightly dust a work surface with potato starch. There are several ways to proceed with shaping gnocchi. To begin, take a portion of dough and roll into a long strip. Portion off bite-sized pieces from the strip.
For more rustic gnocchi, you can leave them as-is. To make more polished-looking gnocchi and to add more texture for sauce, roll each piece into a ball.
To shape with a fork: gently press and roll the ball of dough towards you using the fork.
To shape with a gnocchi board: gently press and roll the ball of dough down the board.
Repeat with all of the remaining gnocchi dough.
To cook, salt a pot of water and bring to a boil. Portion out the gnocchi, then add to the boiling water. The gnocchi will sink to the bottom of the pot. Stir once, gently, then allow to cook undisturbed. Once they are fully cooked, the gnocchi will float to the surface of the water. Drain them and serve!
I recommend serving with a hearty Bolognese sauce, with pesto, or with a goat cheese red sauce (recipes all soon to come).
Storage
Only cook the gnocchi that you will be eating immediately. For the rest, arrange on a plate in a single layer, cover with plastic wrap, and store in the fridge. They will last two to three days in the fridge, but they are best eaten as soon as possible. I have never found this to be a hardship, they’re very good.
Substitutions
As discussed earlier in the recipe, there is no specific potato type for this recipe. I have made it with both russet potatoes and Yukon gold and both work wonderfully. I believe any type of potato should work, including sweet potatoes and yams.
I have only tested this recipe with the flour blend given, however, a blend that consists of less than 50% starches could be substituted. Check out my page on flour blends for more insights onto the content of specific blends. I recommend staying away from blends that contain dried milk. If the blend you use already contains xanthan gum, don’t add the xanthan gum listed in the recipe.
The eggs act as a binder and should not be substituted.
Home-made Gluten Free Gnocchi
Ingredients
Instructions
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Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil on the stovetop on high heat. Wash and cut potatoes in quarters. Boil potatoes until tender when pierced with a fork, then strain and allow to cool until comfortable to touch.
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While the potatoes are cooling, mix the dry ingredients together in a small bowl.
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Peel the skin off the potatoes, then grate using the small side of the grater. Add the flour and toss together with the grated potato, breaking up any clumps of potato, until the flour is evenly distributed and there are no large clumps of potato. Add the eggs and mix thoroughly until the mixture is homogeneous.
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Clear a large area of counter and dust lightly with potato starch. Roll out a strip of dough and portion out into pieces roughly 3/4 to 1 tsp in size. If no more texture is desired, proceed to cooking.
To add texture, roll the dough into a ball then use a fork to gently press the gnocchi against the counter and roll it towards you using the fork to create indents in the ball for sauce to cling to. Alternately, press the dough against a gnocchi board and gently roll downwards. Set aside completed gnocchi and repeat for remaining dough.
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To cook, bring a pot of water to a boil over high heat and add the gnocchi. Stir once, gently, then wait until the gnocchi begin to float (1-3 minutes, depending on size). Strain the gnocchi and serve with a sauce of your choice.
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Store any remaining gnocchi in a single layer covered in plastic wrap in the refrigerator. They can keep in the fridge for up to two days.