More and more of late, I run across items for sale at local bakeries and in the grocery store labeled “gluten-free”.  Gluten turns out to be protein found in wheat and other grains.  This means it’s in most breads, pastas and the multitude of processed foods that contain flour.  Gluten is something sufferers of Celiac disease and some suffering wheat allergies want to avoid for the uncomfortable intestinal side-effects it creates.  However, for those tolerant of gluten, consuming it is no big deal.  In fact, if your body tolerates gluten and you are opting to avoid foods that contain it you could be missing out on critical B vitamins and fiber. 

 

Either way, it’s clear that consuming certain foods are a problem for some people.  Your best bet?  If you’re struggling from frequent stomach or bowel symptoms check with your doctor first to explore your options.

 

In today’s recipe, we’re using gluten-free flour and Russet potatoes (which are also gluten free).  We found the flour in the baking aisle at the grocery store—where they stock all those specialty flours.  If you aren’t concerned about potential side-effects of gluten, then you can substitute any flour you prefer.

 

Gnocchi  is usually considered to be a potato based dumpling of Italian origin, and as is true for many Italian favorites is served a variety of ways.  In the recipe below we’ll go with a simple version, which for our picture we topped with a tomato based pasta sauce and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

 

Let’s Gather The Ingredients

 

We’ll only need a few basic ingredients for this recipe:

 

2 cups mashed potatoes (about 1 large or 2 medium large Russet potatoes)

2 cups gluten-free flour

2 eggs

1 teaspoon sea salt

2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Fresh grated Parmesan cheese to top

Your favorite Italian sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

 

Preparation

 

Start by peeling, chopping and boiling the potatoes.

 

When they are cooked (usually about 20 minutes at a medium boil), drain and mash.  If you have a potato ricer mashing goes much quicker.  Just press the potatoes through the ricer as shown in the photo.

 

Put a large kettle of water on the stove to boil.  This is for cooking your gnocchi.

 

Crack two eggs in a separate bowl.  Whip with a fork and then pour over the potatoes.

 

Add the salt and then use an egg beater to whip everything together.  This will only take a half minute or so if you’ve already run the potatoes through the ricer.

 

Now, start adding a little flour at a time and keep blending.  At some point, your mixer may tell you the dough is too thick for it to handle.  At this point, you can finish the job by hand—meaning you keep adding the rest of the flour and stir with a stiff spoon until it’s all mixed in.  Alternatively, you can dive in with clean hands and knead it.

 

When the flour is mixed in the dough should be soft and easy to form.  Place a sheet of wax paper on the counter and roll or press out 8-inch lengths.  You’ll want the rolls to be about 1 inch wide.  Depending on how or whether you want your gnocchi shaped you can flatten it or spend the time to cut it into 1 inch lengths.

 

I’ve found it’s just as easy to snip the rolls off with a kitchen shears over the boiling water.  Note:  You will need to take care not to let the boiling water splash as it can easily burn.  If you’re worried about it, just snip onto your wax paper and then use a slotted spoon to place the individual pieces in the water.

 

Cook the gnocchi about 6 to 8 minutes.  You’ll know they’re done when they rise to the top of the water and stay afloat.  Use a slotted spoon to remove from the pot.  Hint:  It’s a good idea to break the batch up in half and cook half at a time.  This prevents them from sticking together.

 

Place the drained gnocchi in bowl and toss in a tablespoon or two of extra virgin olive oil.  This keeps them from sticking together.

 

To serve, add your favorite Italian sauce, and top with some freshly grated Parmesan cheese.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

 

My family has more Northern European roots (i.e. Swedish and German) and my mother and grandmother used to make a dish very similar, which they called Knepfla.  However, instead of topping with oil, cheese and a tomato or pesto based sauce it was served with home-made croutons and butter.  Mom would fry small bread cubes in butter at a low heat, add some garlic powder and salt and stir frequently until nicely browned.  She’d then toss the croutons in the Knepfla with more melted butter right before serving.  It was always a delicious family favorite.

 

This recipe serves 3-4 people depending on appetite and serving size.

 

Enjoy!

 

By Bob Anderson
© 2011 Javabird LLC. All rights reserved.

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If you enjoyed this recipe you may want to read:
Quick Comfort Food – Easy Cheesy Rigatoni
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