Holiday eats: Tony’s great-grandmother’s pesto gnocchi
There’s something about making gnocchi that makes it a perfect holiday meal.
It’s not just that they’re rich, warm and delicious. The process itself brings friends and family together for hours of excessive laughter, wine drinking and having fun.
Both the gnocchi and the pesto recipes were given to me by a friend named Tony, who after being raised in a traditional Italian family in New Jersey, moved to Hawaii to surf and that’s where we became friends.
This recipe came from his great-grandmother who still lives in Italy and it is really fun to make. Of course, you can use any sauce you’d like. I’ve made gnocchi with tomato, Gorgonzola and sage and brown butter sauces.
Tony and I have switched coasts, but I still make his family’s gnocchi each winter.
Making it requires a few hours of dedication, a large surface to roll them out and several pans to lay them on while they await boiling. They also require many hands to make them, so invite over friends and family and put the kids to work.
Gnocchi
Serves many and you’ll have leftovers
5 pounds russet potatoes
4 cups flour
5 eggs
4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon white pepper
2 cups Parmesan cheese
Directions
1. Play some Frank Sinatra, Andrea Bocelli or Dean Martin!
2. Boil the potatoes whole with skin on for approximately 30 minutes (until tender).
3. Cool slightly so you can handle them, then peel the skins.
4. Use a potato ricer while they are still warm (you can also use a masher, but the ricer is better).
5. While they are still warm, stir in most of the flour, egg, cheese, pepper and a pinch of salt. Be careful with ratio of potato to flour; if there is too much flour, the gnocchi will be hard, so add most of the flour now, then more if needed.
6. Knead to a soft, elastic dough but don’t overdo it, over-kneading can make them too firm.
7. Shape the dough into a long roll just over 2/3 inch in diameter and cut into 3/4 inch lengths.
8. To be fancy, you can press each one gently with a fork. We don’t bother — who cares? Arrange on a cookie tray dusted with flour (semolina or regular) to prevent sticking.
9. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boil.
10. Add the gnocchi, a few at a time, and remove with a slotted spoon as they rise to the surface.
11. Drain, put in a warm serving dish and pour your chosen sauce over them.
Note: If gnocchis fall apart when boiled, there was not enough flour. If they’re too firm, there was too much flour.
Pesto
Makes around 1.5 cups
3 large garlic cloves
1/2 cup pine nuts
2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano coarsely grated
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 cups loosely packed fresh basil
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Directions
1. With food processor running, drop in garlic and finely chop.
2. Stop motor and add nuts, cheese, salt, pepper and basil, then process until finely chopped.
3. With motor running, add oil, blending until incorporated.
Cook’s notes:
Put 2/3 cup of pesto in a large bowl then whisk about 1/3 cup of the water the gnocchi was boiled into the pesto. Add gnocchi.
Mangia!
