POTATO & CHEESE GNOCCHI
This recipe for homemade gnocchi comes from a tattered cookbook from my great grandma’s church, Mater Dolorosa, in Williamsport, PA. All the little old Italian ladies collaborated their recipes from the homeland into one and this gnocchi has become a family favorite! I love doubling or even tripling this recipe so I can freeze extras and put into baggies for a super quick gourmet dinner when I need it! We’ve modified it a little because we like to roll it our own special way thanks to our late priest at St. Pius X in Selinsgrove, Father Joe. I remember as a kid having him over for dinner one night and my mom just could’t get the gnocchi right. He showed us how his Italian mother taught him to roll the pasta with your finger into little pillow-like delicacies and we’ve never turned back since. I love it when family recipes have a story behind them!
Ingredients:
-1.5 lb. potatoes- (5 medium) peeled and cut in half or large chunks
-2 eggs
-3 T. grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Romano cheese
-2 C. flour (+ 1 C for dusting counter & more may be needed if the dough is soft and sticky)
Directions:
Boil Potatoes and mash. In a large bowl or kitchen aid mixer, add mashed potatoes, eggs, flour and cheese. Knead until smooth. (If pasta is sticking to the bowl, add more flour.) Roll Dough into a “snake” 1/4 inch thick. Cut into small pieces about 3/4 inches. Roll out on a gnocchi board, make ridges with a fork or roll in pinch like my family does (I do it in the video!). Let gnocchi “dry”on a sheet pan with parchment paper for about 20-30 min (fridge or freezer is the best if you have the space). Cook for 4-5 min until they start to float to the top. Serve with my recipe below, with tomato sauce or with butter and cheese!
GNOCCHI WITH SWEET ITALIAN SAUSAGE, CANNELINI BEANS & GREENS
This recipe is a FigoFood original! I love it because it’s gourmet but can be ready ini 25 minutes with gnocchi that’s made ahead of time (or you can just cheat and buy it from the store! No shame in that!). It’s the Italian version of “pork and beans” and is a one pot (well sort of more like 2) meal that includes your protein, fiber, greens and of course, pasta! I like to call this “healthy-ish”! I mean hey, it’s homemade and kids love it!
Ingredients:
-extra virgin olive oil
-sweet Italian sausage- cut or sliced into 2 inch pieces
-3 cloves of garlic- minced
-(optional for more flavor: 1 C dry white wine)
-a few handfuls of spinach or kale
-1 15oz can low sodium cannelini beans
-2 T chopped thyme and parsley
-2 packages of potato and cheese gnocchi- prepackaged or my homemade recipe above)
-grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese or grated romano cheese
Directions:
Add olive oil to a large pan. Brown sausage pieces for 4-5 min stirring as they cook. Add smashed garlic and caramelize 1-2 min until slightly soft and aromatic. (Optional: Add white wine to hot pan. Let wine reduce 1-2 min until alcohol smell has evaporated. Add spinach, cannelini beans and herbs and cook 10-15 min on low. Meanwhile boil gnocchi in salted water for 4-5 minutes. Add cooked gnocchi and a few ladles of pasta water and bring the sauce to a nice thick consistency. Add cheese and fresh cracked pepper and serve with good crusty bread and a nice Barolo (or Perrier with citrus if you’re pregnant!)🍷 😋 Buon Appetito!
Gnocchi recipe from Mater Dolorosa Cookbook
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