Gnocchi can be served with ragù – but they are also great with a simple tomato sauce, a butter and sage sauce or with four different kinds of cheese! You can also add other ingredients into the mix like pumpkin, spinach or red beets for a pop of color.
Making them at home seems simple, but the risk is ending up with gnocchi that are gummy or hard when you bite into them. You need to know how to properly and precisely measure the ingredients and you need some manual skills to make them. So how can you avoid making gnocchi that are not so easy to chew? Some practical advice, from our kitchen to yours!
Choose the right potato for gnocchi
First, let's start with the main ingredient: the potato. The perfect potato for gnocchi is not new, but has a little bit of age to it – because the younger ones contain more water than the older ones so you risk having the potato retain too much flour after mixing the ingredients together. The best potato for gnocchi is a white starchy one – ideal for being mashed because of the more “floury” consistency.
Beware of measurements!
You will need white flour for the dough. The measurement? Well, that depends on the potato used. In any case, for every 2 lb of potatoes, use an amount of flour that usually varies from 9 to 11 oz – but never exceed this amount! Otherwise, the gnocchi will become too dense and hard.
Do not add flour
If the dough is too soft and floury, do not add more flour. More flour will transform your gnocchi dough into a cement brick! Instead, transfer your dough back onto the pastry board and continue to work the dough patiently until it dries out a little bit more.
Cook gnocchi a little at a time
Gnocchi are not meant to be stored in the fridge. Otherwise, they lose their consistency. For soft and fluffy gnocchi, we suggest you cook them immediately right after making the dough. Otherwise, freeze them and wait a few hours for them to harden. Then portion them into plastic bags to be thawed just before tossing them into boiling water for your next gnocchi dinner!
FAQs
There's no doubt that a dry, starchy potato is one of the best bets for making gnocchi with a lighter and fluffier texture. After all, the more water a potato contains, the more flour you'll have to add to soak it up, and the more flour you add, the denser the gnocchi will become.
Why is my gnocchi not fluffy? ›
Too much flour and gnocchi turns to doughy undercooked lumps. Bottom line is you add enough flour to bring the egg and potato together into a dough and no more.
How to make gnocchi less mushy? ›
When cool enough to handle, scrape off the skins and push the potato through a ricer or food mill, then, while still warm, start working your dough on a floured work surface. (Here, Davies offers up another tip to fight the mush: “Spread out the mash to cool; the escaping steam will further take away any moisture.”)
How to make gnocchi soft again? ›
Reheating your gnocchi with any of these four methods will ensure that you will have tasty, soft pockets of pasta perfection!
- Boiling it in water.
- Simmering it in olive oil.
- Gently searing them with butter.
- Low heat cooking.
How to make a firmer Gnocchi. Boil the potatoes with the peel on, that way the potato absorbs less water. Peel the potato and place through a potato ricer immediately, because the cooler they get the stickier they become. An easy way to peel the potato is stick a fork through and peel it using a knife.
How to fix chewy gnocchi? ›
My Gnocchi Are Way Too Chewy, How Do I Fix This? Chewy gnocchi are the result of too much flour and over kneading the dough. It's important to knead the dough just until it comes together into a smooth ball and no more.
What is the secret to light gnocchi? ›
Semolina flour: I coat the ricotta gnocchi in semolina flour before boiling. This creates a protective shell, which not only keeps the gnocchi from falling apart, but the inside texture stays light and delicate- no need for extra flour to bind the dough. I learned this tip from Jamie Oliver's Comfort Food.
Why are my gnocchi so dense? ›
Don't Overdo With Flour
Use as little flour as possible—even when working without an egg. You want the dough to be just a little, tiny-bit sticky. If you use too much flour, the dough loses its stickiness and you'll be on a highway to denser gnocchi.
Is it better to boil or bake potatoes for gnocchi? ›
The secret to the lightest, most tender potato gnocchi is to bake the potatoes instead of boiling them. A baked potato is dryer than one that has been boiled, which means you avoid having to add more flour to the dough to account for excess moisture, a practice that leads to over-kneaded, tough gnocchi.
How do you make store bought gnocchi soft? ›
Frying gnocchi in a little butter or oil takes more effort, and the dumplings will be crisp on the outside, chewy and soft on the inside.
The next trick is to use as little flour as possible – this will stop the gnocchi getting doughy and heavy. It's difficult to give exact ratios; I've learned to do it a little bit by feel, gradually adding the flour from a sifter until it's just enough to form a soft dough that you can handle without it being sticky.
How do you make gnocchi less gummy? ›
Think crisp and golden-brown—not waterlogged and gummy.
Is gnocchi supposed to be fluffy? ›
Mix the Dough (Cont.)
Gently bring the dough together to form a cohesive ball. You do not need to “work” the dough (this is not pasta or bread dough). The texture should feel warm, light, fluffy and smooth, like a giant mashed potato ball. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
Should gnocchi be soft or chewy? ›
A dough is formed, they are divided into small nuggets, and can then be gently fried, boiled or baked. Gnocchi are finished by being tossed in a sauce, olive oil or melted butter and herbs. Cooked gnocchi should have a light, squidgy texture, and should not be tough and chewy.
Why is my gnocchi hard? ›
Overmixing is another cause of tough gnocchi. When I am making my dough, I like to start by mixing in the eggs into the potatoes first and seasoning that mixture well. This way, I know my egg is thoroughly mixed into the potato and should hold. I add the flour last and gently mix it in with a spatula.
Should gnocchi be gooey? ›
You do not need to “work” or knead the dough (this is not pasta or bread dough). The texture should feel soft, warm and smooth- like a giant mashed potato ball. If it's notably sticky, add a sprinkle of flour.
