Gnocchi al Burro e Salvia (Potato Gnocchi with Sage Butter)

About This Recipe

Making gnocchi from scratch is one of Italian cooking's most rewarding tasks. The dough is a simple mixture of riced floury potatoes, 00 flour and egg — but the ratio requires a gentle hand. Too much flour and the gnocchi become dense and rubbery; too little and they fall apart in the water. The ideal gnocco (singular) is light, slightly yielding and just holds its shape. The simplest and arguably best sauce for gnocchi is burro e salvia — browned butter infused with fresh sage leaves. The nuttiness of the browned butter (beurre noisette in French, burro nocciola in Italian) complements the mild potato flavour perfectly. A shower of Parmesan completes the dish.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1 kgfloury potatoes (Maris Piper, Russet or Desiree)
• 200 g00 flour or plain flour
• 1egg yolk
• 1 tspfine salt
• 100 gunsalted butter
• 15fresh sage leaves
• 60 gParmesan, grated
• to tastesalt and black pepper

Instructions

1. 1

   Bake potatoes

   Bake potatoes whole in their skins at 200°C (390°F) for 50–60 minutes until completely tender. (Baking, not boiling, keeps the potato dryer.)

2. 2

   Rice potatoes

   While still hot, scoop potato flesh and pass through a potato ricer or fine sieve onto a clean work surface. Let steam evaporate for 5 minutes.

3. 3

   Make dough

   Make a well in the riced potato. Add flour, egg yolk and salt. Mix gently until a soft dough just comes together — work as little as possible.

4. 4

   Shape gnocchi

   Divide dough into portions. Roll each into a rope about 2 cm thick on a lightly floured surface. Cut into 2 cm pieces. Roll each piece over a fork (or gnocchi board) to create ridges.

5. 5

   Cook gnocchi

   Drop gnocchi into a large pot of well-salted boiling water in batches. They are cooked when they float to the surface, about 2–3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon.

6. 6

   Make sage butter

   Melt butter in a wide pan over medium-high heat. Add sage leaves and cook until the butter foams, then turns golden-brown and smells nutty, about 3 minutes. Add cooked gnocchi and toss to coat.

7. 7

   Serve

   Divide between warm plates, spoon over the sage butter and crispy sage. Top with Parmesan and black pepper.

Variations

• •

  Gnocchi al gorgonzola: toss with a sauce of melted gorgonzola, cream and walnuts.

• •

  Gnocchi alla sorrentina: baked in tomato sauce with mozzarella.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Shaped uncooked gnocchi can be frozen on a tray, then transferred to bags. Cook from frozen, adding 1 minute to cooking time.

Frequently Asked Questions