Best Basics #3: GNOCCHI

Gnocchi are something I have loved my whole life. but it's also one of those things that I don't eat a lot. I sort of forget they exist for a few months and then either my mum brings some home or I see some in the shop and think "oh, yeah, I forgot you were there!"
But they are certainly something lovely and easy and something you can do so many things with.

So we are all used to buying them in the supermarket just because it's easy and well, you can get them there so why bother making them right? Well not quite.
I know not everyone all the time has the time to make everything themselves, but sometimes it's just so worth it because all you food lovers will agree with me that it just tastes so much better and also works out cheaper in the end which is important to everyone but especially for a student like me.

I think a lot of people are not even too sure about what gnocchi actually are, well I talked to some of my friends and they said that so it has to be true. but all they really are are little potato dumplings of loveliness. and they really are as simple as it sounds. all you need are cooked potatoes, a masher (or a fork), an egg and flour and salt. done.
the other day I had some cooked potatoes left over and all I literally did was mash them up and mix it all together, no recipe no anything. so I thought this would be a perfect thing to share with you guys, if I can do it without a recipe it really can't be that difficult right? so there you go.

Gnocchi
for two
4 big potatoes/8 small potatoes
1-2 eggs
flour
salt

ok so you can cook the potatoes the night before
you make the gnocchi (which I would recommend
doing) or you cook them and then leave them
to cool because you don't want to be mixing them
with the egg while they're still hot.

once they are cold, peel them and mash them,
then add the egg and mash again.

now this is the part where you have to be a little
patient. I'm talking seconds though.
take the flour and add a bit at a time while
mashing it all together with your fork.
you want the dough to be an even consistency
but not overly dry either, but believe me you'll
know when it's right.
(it's when it isn't too sticky anymore and starts
staying together in a ball rather than sticking
to the sides of your bowl)

that's the moment when you take some flour
put it on your worktops and roll the dough
out into a few long sausage shaped things.

you can now get the water ready to cook them.

then all you do is cut them into little pieces about
1 cm in length. once the water is boiling just
put them all in (try and seperate them so they don't
all stick together). once they swim on the top of the
water rather than diving around you'll know they're
done!

I will also be doing at least two more posts showing you some recipe ideas and what you can do with your gnocchi after they have been cooked. something really simple aswell as something a bit more fancy if you will.

also if you fancy something else that you can easily make yourself. why not check out my homemade pizza dough recipe (here) and my pizza sauce recipe (here).

Have you made gnocchi before? and what are your favourite homemade treats that are worth taking a bit longer?

Magdalena. xx

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