gnocchi with browned butter and sage
Homemade gnocchi is one of those dishes that feels intimidating until you realize it’s basically just potatoes doing what they do best. In this recipe you bake potatoes until tender, blend them smooth, then mix in eggs, salt, and just enough flour to form a soft dough you can roll, cut, and shape with a fork for those classic little ridges. After a quick boil (they’re done the second they float), the gnocchi gets tossed in a simple brown butter and sage sauce. loosened with a splash of that starchy cooking water, and finished with fresh parmesan and a touch of nutmeg. Cozy, buttery, and worth every minute.
What is the history of gnocchi?
Gnocchi has been a comfort food staple in Italy for centuries and it actually existed before potatoes ever became part of European cooking. Early gnocchi were made with simple pantry ingredients like flour, water, eggs, and sometimes bread or semolina, shaped into small dumplings that were filling, affordable, and easy to stretch into a full meal. Potato gnocchi came later, after potatoes made their way to Europe and eventually became common enough to cook with, and once they did they completely changed the game. Potatoes gave gnocchi that signature soft, pillowy texture we know today, especially in northern Italy where they became a natural swap for older doughs. The result is what gnocchi still is now: humble ingredients turned into something cozy and ridiculously satisfying, especially when tossed with something simple like browned butter and sage.
How to make gnocchi?
Now let’s get started with the gnocchi! First, preheat your oven to 350f. Scrub and pat dry the potatoes and place on a baking sheet. Bake for about 1 hour and 30 minutes until tender. Let the potatoes slightly cool and peel them. Discard the peels and transfer to food professor and blend until smooth. Add the eggs and season generously with salt. Blend until the texture is uniform. Transfer the dough into a large bowl and knead in 1/2 cup of flour. Divide the dough into 4 pieces. Then dust a large piece of parchment paper with flour and roll the dough pieces into apprx. 20cm long 2cm thick logs. Cut the logs into 3cm long pieces. Then roll each into a little ball with your hands, and using a fork roll each piece against the counter top to create indents. Bring water to boil in a large pot and salt it. Then working in two batches, boil the gnocchi for about 2 minutes until they float on top. While each batch is boiling make the browned butter sauce. Melt 4tbsp of butter in a large sauce pan and add a handful of ripped sage and a pinch of salt. Cook over medium heat until the butter is brown. Add 1/4 cup off the gnocchi boiling water and bring to boil. Add the gnocchi in the sauce and cook for a minute. For serving, top each portion with freshly shredded Parmesan and nutmeg.
Tips
Rolling the dumplings with a fork may seem random but there is actually a purpose behind it - the little wedges will help more sauce cling to the gnocchi. This recipe is not limited to working with russet potatoes - for a delicious twist try swapping the russets for sweet potatoes!
Do not overcook the gnocchi - once they float on top they are cooked.
Recommended products to make this recipe
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