Gnocchi

Innards of baked potatoes

Gnocchi are Italian dumplings, usually made with flour and egg to produce a plump little carbo mouthful. There are a variety of ingredients to include, such as spinach, cheese, cream sauce, other vegetables.

I attempted to make a gnocchi dish with potatoes as the base--and a separate batch with corn and potato--along with other New World ingredients: squash, zucchini, tomato, onion and green chilies. You can try to improve on this (and believe me, you can).

Read through before you start. This takes a while.

Basic recipe:

1. cook four potaotes in the oven; when done, allow to cool, then peel and put the insides in a bowl. (I looked at microfilm for a book project in between the cooking and the cooling parts).

2. mix with 1.5 cups of wheat flour, 2 egg yolks, 1/4 cup olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, green chilies, chopped onions, and whatever else you like

3. knead and form into a large ball. Your hands will become sticky but its fun.

I didnt take this picture.

4. cut into four sections

5.I might drive purists nuts because when in a hurry I get technically sloppy. You are supposed to roll the "dough" into snakes about 1/4 inch across (mine are rather large), then cut into sections about 3/4 to 1 inch long.

6. you also can use corn meal instead of flour. It will take longer to cook and falls apart easily 

7. drop the tiny sections into boiling water for about 5 minutes (that is, the ones made of the flour/potato mix, and about two minutes longer for the corn/potato mixture)

8. remove pieces with a slotted spoon and put into ice water for about a minute (to stop it from cooking). Then place the pieces in a baking dish

9. top the gnocchis with sauteed vegetables: below are mushrooms, squashes, onions, carrots, etc. I also added spaghetti sauce. Cook for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

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The corn/potato  mixture in the ice water (I made the corn into balls to tell them apart from the flour/potato mix)

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Finished product. Topped with parmesian cheese sprinkles.

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