Giada's Gnocchi

Okay ... so these look a little funky, but they were pretty tasty. And definitely a new experience for me as far as pasta-making goes.

I'll admit that I have tried making homemade pasta on my own before, and failed miserably. Not having been able to learn this treasured skill from generations past means that I am going it alone ... BUT, these gnocchi made it a little easier to learn a few things about pasta, how to make it, and how to make it GOOD. Though this try was still no masterpiece, it will get better the next time I get brave and try to be the Italian that I am not.

I found this recipe in Giada DeLaurentiis's "Everyday Pasta". Some sort of Gnocchi with Butter Thyme Sauce concoction. I thought I'd ditch the butter part, but give the rest a whirl.

First, I peeled then steamed 2 large baking potatoes. This made it easier than cooking and THEN peeling. Then, once the potatoes were tender, I mashed them, added a little salt and pepper, 1 egg and 3/4 cup of whole wheat flour. Next time, I think I'll add a smidgeon more salt, or garlic and/or herbs to the mix to give it more internal flavor, but without overpowering the delicate gnocchi itself.

I was then able to take a spoonful of the dough, rolled it out onto a clean, dry surface into a snake about a half inch thick. This is where the play-dough loving kids can help. But I highly recommend rolling them out on a floured surface ... the recipe didn't say this, but on a wood cutting board, it keeps the dough from sticking.

Once I had a nicely rolled "snake" of dough, I cut the pasta into segments about 1 inch long. The recipe also called to roll it along a surface that would give the gnocchi that nice, lined texture (The back of a fork would work nicely). I opted NOT to do this. Next time, I will ....

Here's where I make my mistake.  (GASP!) Yes, I figure that if I am going to "keep it real", I may as well share a few kitchen disasters too. I tossed some of the gnocchi in to a pot of (warm but not yet boiling) water as a place to keep them without them sticking together ... oh, the joys of a small, apartment kitchen. BIG BOO BOO. So the first few batches of gnocchi turned to mush. RATS! They still tasted good, but the larger majority of the batch looked like Mashed Potatoes Marinara, not gnocchi. I obviously salvaged a few good ones to photograph.

As for the sauce, I did saute the gnocchi in a little garlic and olive oil and some dried, crushed oregano. Making a butter sauce just didn't sound too good for the waistline ... But the 2T of olive oil and 2 cloves of garlic sounded like it would be just enough to give a little extra flare. I also had about a half of a cup of left over marinara sauce in the fridge. So, the sauce is a combo of Aglio e Olio (Garlic and Oil) and Marinara sauce.

Despite the hot mess of a presentation that it made, the gnocchi was still pretty good. Yes, I have had better. BUT ... I know with practice, it WILL get better. But if any of you hear of any pasta making classes, I would LOVE to sign up. If I think my gnocchi was a mess, my attempts to make Fettuccine are MUCH worse. LOL!

Until next time,
Buon Appetito!