Gnocchi is weird. I have eaten good gnocchi and bad, so I have pretty good idea about what it is supposed to be. I have heard people go on about these ethereal, pillowy, sublime little morsels. I don’t get it. They seem to be stuck between pasta and mashed potatoes. Now, I like pasta and I like mashed potatoes, and I have never been looking for something in between (or a combination there of).
The recipe is straight forward enough: baked potatoes that have been riced, beaten egg, parmigiano-reggiano cheese and flour. The way not to screw it up is to use just enough flour to bring the mixture together and not over kneed it. If made correctly, it’s a fragile mess. Some people cheat on this by putting the mix in a piping bag and cutting off pieces over the cooking water. I’m not saying who, but I ate his and wasn’t a fan. I will probably make this dish again, but will mostly stick to pasta and mashed potatoes.