Potato Gnocchi with Basil Pesto – Light, Pillowy and Intensely Fragrant

About This Recipe

Homemade potato gnocchi with fresh basil pesto is one of the most rewarding dishes in Italian cooking. When done right, gnocchi are pillowy, light, and barely-there — they melt on the tongue rather than sitting heavily. The secret is in the potato: floury, well-dried Russet or King Edward potatoes produce the driest mash, requiring minimal flour and creating the lightest gnocchi. Too much flour and they become dense and chewy; too little and they fall apart. Classic Genovese pesto — basil, Parmesan, Pecorino, pine nuts, garlic and olive oil — is made by hand in a mortar and pestle for the most traditional result, though a food processor produces an excellent quick version. The pesto should be made fresh and never heated — the heat of the just-cooked gnocchi is all it needs. A spoonful of pasta water loosens the pesto and creates a light, glossy coating. Gnocchi are a beautiful Sunday project and a true test of technique — but once mastered, they become one of the most versatile bases in Italian cooking, equally at home with tomato sauce, gorgonzola, or brown butter and sage.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1 kgfloury potatoes(Russet or King Edward)
• 200 g00 flour(plus more for dusting)
• 1egg yolk
• 1 tspsalt
• 80 gfresh basil leaves
• 60 mlextra-virgin olive oil
• 40 gParmesan(grated)
• 20 gPecorino Romano(grated)
• 30 gpine nuts(lightly toasted)
• 1 clovegarlic

Instructions

1. 1

   Bake the potatoes

   Bake whole potatoes at 200°C for 45–60 minutes until completely cooked through. While hot, halve and scoop out flesh. Pass through a ricer or fine sieve.

   Baking (not boiling) keeps potatoes dry — wet potatoes require more flour and produce heavier gnocchi.

2. 2

   Make the dough

   Spread riced potato on the work surface. Make a well, add flour, egg yolk and salt. Gently work together just until a dough forms — do not overwork.

   The less you handle the dough, the lighter the gnocchi. Stop as soon as it comes together.

3. 3

   Shape the gnocchi

   Roll dough into 2cm-thick logs. Cut into 2cm pieces. Roll each piece against a fork or gnocchi board to create ridges.

4. 4

   Make the pesto

   Blend basil, garlic, pine nuts, olive oil and a pinch of salt. Stir in grated cheeses by hand — do not blend with the cheeses as heat from blending dulls the flavour.

5. 5

   Cook and dress

   Cook gnocchi in salted boiling water. They are ready when they float to the surface (about 2 minutes). Scoop out with a slotted spoon. Toss immediately with pesto, loosening with a little pasta water.

Variations

• •

  Brown butter and sage: melt butter until nutty, add sage leaves, toss with gnocchi.

• •

  Gorgonzola and walnut: melt gorgonzola with a splash of cream, toss with gnocchi and walnuts.

Storage

Raw shaped gnocchi freeze for 2 months. Cook from frozen. Cooked gnocchi don't keep well.

Frequently Asked Questions