Traditional Homemade Potato Gnocchi

See notes below before starting. A kitchen scale is highly recommended for this recipe.

Preheat the oven to 400 F while you wash and dry the potatoes. Then carefully poke them all over with a fork (in about 10 to 12 places). Bake directly on the middle oven rack until easily speared lengthwise with a skewer, about 50 minutes. While potatoes cook, gather tools and set up for remaining steps (see even more detailed instructions, photos, and extra tips in the link to the related blog post). When done, remove the potatoes from the oven.

Peel hot potatoes with a paring knife, break or cut roughly into quarters, and place in a medium, heatproof mixing bowl, discarding skins. Pass potatoes through a potato ricer or food mill onto a baking tray lined with paper towels or a clean dish towel and cool 5 minutes. Weigh 16 ounces (1 pound) of riced potatoes and place into the mixing bowl. Save any extra potatoes for another use.

Pour egg over the potatoes and fold together with a fork until just combined. Sprinkle or sift 2/3 of the flour and the salt into the bowl, again using the fork to gently combine until slightly crumbly but no dry pockets of flour remain. Press dough together with your hands in one motion.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured, clean, dry work surface. Knead about 1 minute, pressing and folding dough over itself with your hands, until it just comes together into a smooth, consistent ball. Divide dough into eight approximately equal sized pieces. Flouring the work surface as needed, use your hands to gently roll each piece into a rope ½” in diameter. Cut ropes into ¾” lengths. For smooth gnocchi, follow instructions below for storage and/or cooking.

For ridged gnocchi (which hold onto sauce better), use your thumb to roll each dumpling, starting with the cut side, over the back of the tines of a floured fork, from base to points. Place formed gnocchi onto a floured, parchment-lined baking tray.

To cook or test a few gnocchi, gently drop into a pot of boiling water. Boil gently for 90 seconds to 2 minutes, until just after gnocchi float to the surface. Remove with a slotted spoon or spider strainer. Serve immediately, or keep warm in a bowl with a bit of olive oil.

To brown gnocchi for a crisped, flavorful exterior, cook with butter in batches in a non-stick skillet over medium heat, for a minute or two on each side.

To store gnocchi, refrigerate on a baking tray, covered in plastic wrap, for up to 24 hours. Or, freeze the same way until hardened, then transfer to an airtight, freezer safe container. Frozen gnocchi require about 30 seconds to 1 minute longer cooking time.

Notes:
1. Measuring ingredients by weight for first-time gnocchi makers is imperative. Accurate, inexpensive kitchen scales are widely available.
2. Due to the quantity of egg, I wouldn’t recommend adjusting the yield of the recipe. If you need more or fewer gnocchi, either repeat the recipe in batches or freeze extra gnocchi for later.
3. Egg isn’t always considered a traditional gnocchi ingredient, but it’s extremely helpful in achieving proper consistency of the dough so the dumplings hold together while cooking.