Gnocchis: Bottega’s Recipe

Here’s a recipe just the way we like them—in Montréal and pretty much everywhere in the world: classic Italian-style gnocchis, simple and flawless, made with Yukon Gold potatoes, nutmeg, and Parmesan—nothing superfluous, all about texture. You roll them, ridge them, let them rise to the surface, then coat them in a good tomato sauce. It’s the kind of dish that turns an ordinary evening into a small celebration around the table. One bowl, one ladle of sauce, a cloud of Parmesan… and that’s all you need.

Bottega’s Gnocchis Recipe

Ingredients
4 servings – prep 1 hour – cook 50 min
1 kg (2 ¼ lb) Yukon Gold potatoes, whole, unpeeled
2 tbsp salt + more for the dough
6 egg yolks
1 tbsp chopped parsley
1 tsp ground nutmeg
45 g (½ cup) grated Parmesan + more for serving
350 g all-purpose flour
500 ml (2 cups) tomato sauce (see recipe on page 74)

Preparation
In a pot, cover the potatoes with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the salt and cook over medium heat for 45 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. (Pierce them with a skewer or the tip of a knife to check.) Drain.

In a bowl, lightly whisk the egg yolks with a fork. Set aside.

Peel the potatoes while still hot. Using a masher or a food mill, crush them into a smooth purée. Transfer the potato purée to a clean, dry work surface.

Add the parsley, nutmeg, and Parmesan to the potato purée. Salt to taste. Mix with your hands. Gradually incorporate the flour and egg yolks into the dough, making sure to mix well between each addition. Knead until the dough is smooth and soft: you should be able to press a finger into it easily.

Using a knife, cut off a portion of the dough and roll it on the work surface with your hands to form a small cylinder about the width of a finger (about 2 cm / ¾ in thick). Cut into 2.5 cm (1 in) pieces. Press each piece onto a wooden gnocchi board or the tines of a fork to create ridges. (This step enhances the flavour of the gnocchi and helps the sauce adhere.) Repeat with the remaining dough. (You can freeze the gnocchi at this stage.)

Prepare two large pots. Fill the first with water, bring to a boil over high heat, and salt. In the second pot, pour in the tomato sauce and warm over low heat.

Drop about twenty gnocchi at a time into the boiling water, avoiding overcrowding. When they rise to the surface, after about 5 minutes, remove them with a slotted spoon and place them in the pot of tomato sauce. Repeat until all the gnocchi are cooked.

Gently mix.

Serve with freshly grated Parmesan and basil.

Photographed by Bottega

Photography by Bottega