GNOCCHI PASTA

For those of you who haven’t experienced the wonderful Italian pasta called gnocchi, stay tuned. I’ll tell you about some of my favorite gnocchi recipes and also demonstrate with a step by step guide how easy it is to make.

Gnocchi pasta is basically a thick, soft, dumpling type of pasta. You can make gnocchi from many different things. Semolina flour or unbleached flour makes a great gnocchi while potatoes, ricotta, spinach and even sweet potatoes make other kinds of fabulous gnocchi.

You can make gnocchi soups or you can create various and sundry sauces to go with your homemade or store-bought gnocchi such as a light pesto sauce, a traditional tomato sauce or an Alfredo sauce. 

Are you seeing where I’m going with this? Gnocchi is one of the most versatile pastas and although it is technically a pasta, it is far easier than other pasta doughs to make from scratch.

I decided to demonstrate with my recipe for sweet potato gnocchi to illustrate how colorful vegetable gnocchi can be. You can also buy vacuum-sealed gnocchi in the pasta aisle at the supermarket or find it premade in the refrigerator section.

See all 8 photos
Ricotta Gnocchi
Source: Wikipedia

ALL ABOUT GNOCCHI PASTA

Gnocchi is meant to be eaten as an entree as a substitute for pasta noodles
The word gnocchi is derived from the Italian word “nocchio” meaning a “knot of wood” (which kind of describes its shape)
Since Roman times, gnocchi has been enjoyed on the European continent
Innovations such as potato gnocchi, spinach gnocchi, ricotta gnocchi, sweet potato gnocchi, etc. are relatively new and have been tweaked by many countries to arrive at the creative gnocchi recipes today
There are many more possibilities when it comes to gnocchi – let creativity be your guide when creating your own gnocchi

See all 8 photos
Bake sweet potatoes at 35 degrees
See all 8 photos
Cool, skin and mash or put through ricer
See all 8 photos
Combine potato, garlic, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon and egg
See all 8 photos
Add in flour and stir to form a soft dough – add more flour if necessary if too sticky
See all 8 photos
Turn dough out on lightly floured surface
See all 8 photos
Divide dough into 4 or so pieces and roll into long ropes
See all 8 photos
Cut each rope into 1-inch pieces and place on lightly floured cookie sheet

SWEET POTATO GNOCCHI RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:

16 ounces sweet potatoes
1 clove garlic, diced or dried
Salt to taste (up to 1/2 teaspoon)
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Dash of cinnamon if desired
1 egg or 1/4 cup egg substitute
2 cups unbleached flour (more as necessary)
DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350
degrees. Bake sweet potatoes in their skins
for about 30 minutes or until soft.
Remove from oven, let cool, then peel and mash with a fork. Alternatively, you can run through a food
mill or ricer.
Combine potatoes,
garlic, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon and egg in a large bowl. Stir to combine. Add in flour.
You should have a soft dough (add more flour if the dough is too
sticky).
Turn out the
gnocchi dough on a floured surface and roll parts of the dough out one piece at
a time into long, thin ropes. Cut the
gnocchi into 1 inch sections. (You can
use a gnocchi tool or a gnocchi board to add “character” and creases to the gnocchi at this
point as well).
Set the gnocchi
individually on a lightly floured jelly roll pan for cooking as you work. You can also freeze them at this point as well. Just freeze for an hour or so, remove from the trays and
pop them into freezer bags for a great quick and easy meal another time.

COOKING AND SERVING GNOCCHI

When cooking your homemade gnocchi, bring a large pot of water with a dash of salt to a simmering
boil.
Drop the pieces into the boiling
water and allow them to cook until they float to the surface.
Remove with a slotted spoon. Keep warm on a serving plate.
Sweet potato gnocchi is great with butter or a light
cream sauce.

TIP: Substitute butternut squash for the sweet potato or even use
yams.

***This recipe was based on a recipe I found on allrecipes.com though I tweaked it to my preferences.

Be sure and check out the video as well below which gives you a visual idea of how you put this quick and easy recipe together.

You Tube Video How To Make Gnocchi by Audrey Kirchner

GNOCCHI PASTA RECIPES

To illustrate further the beauty of using gnocchi, here’s another of my favorite gnocchi recipes. In this case, you can either use homemade gnocchi of any kind (like spinach or sweet potato, ricotta or potato) or buy store-bought gnocchi. Either way, this is a fabulously easy and delicious Italian dish.

Pesto with Shrimp and Asparagus Gnocchi

GNOCCHI WITH PESTO, ASPARAGUS AND SHRIMP

INGREDIENTS:

16 ounce package of vacuum packed gnocchi
4 cups of sliced asparagus (about 1/2-1 inch pieces)
1 pound peeled and deveined large shrimp or prawns coarsely chopped (substitute small shrimp)
1 cup fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons of roasted pine nuts
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (Reggiano cheese or other similar)
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons chopped or minced garlic (or dried garlic)
4 teaspoons olive oil
1 tablespoon water
Cooking spray – optional
PREPARATION:

Bring
water in large pot to boil. Add gnocchi and cook according to
directions on package. If using fresh, homemade gnocchi, place in
boiling water and boil until pieces float to the top, remove with
slotted spoon and set aside to keep warm. When ready to mix
ingredients, place in a large bowl.
Add asparagus and shrimp
to large skillet sprayed with cooking spray, cook 5 minutes or so until
shrimp are cooked through. Drain. Or add asparagus and shrimp to
boiling water used for cooking gnocchi and cook for about 5 minutes.
Drain.
Add the shrimp and asparagus to gnocchi in large bowl.
Combine
basil, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, garlic and water in a
food processor and process until smooth. Drizzle olive oil into the
food chute with the processor running and process until well blended.
Toss basil mixture with the gnocchi and shrimp. Sprinkle with a bit of Parmesan cheese and serve.

This
recipe serves 4 and is an adaptation from a recipe on myrecipes.com. A
fabulous substitution for store-bought gnocchi here is spinach gnocchi
or the sweet potato gnocchi though any gnocchi will do.

Serve this fantastic Italian dinner with a green salad, a crusty loaf of Italian bread and a crisp white wine.

How To Make Ricotta Gnocchi

RECIPES AND YOU TUBE VIDEOS FOR GNOCCHI

As you can see, there are many innovative recipes out there for gnocchi. Some great places to start looking for gnocchi recipes are the Internet and also on YouTube.

Another great source for gnocchi recipes is just about any Italian cookbook of merit. You can find these in abundance on Amazon.com or even new or slightly handled on eBay. Don’t forget your local library either for loads of Italian recipes which will include wonderful ideas for making homemade gnocchi and sauces.

As pastas go, I enjoy making gnocchi because it is less labor intensive than making regular pasta noodles. It can also be a great family event or an interesting dinner party activity. Everyone can participate in creating the gnocchi and certainly in the cooking and sauce preparation.

If you have more great gnocchi recipes in your culinary toolbox, please share them with us here. I’m always looking for new gnocchi recipes!

How to Make Spinach Gnocchi

V581 Gnocchi Board
Amazon Price: $8.51
List Price: $5.99
Fantes Cousin Lianas Italian Gnocchi Board
Amazon Price: $2.99
Eppicotispai Garganelli and Gnocchi Stripper
Amazon Price: $12.17
OXO Good Grips Potato Ricer
Amazon Price: $24.98
List Price: $24.99
Danita Delimont – Cuisines – Peru, Machu Picchu, cuisine, Sanctuary Lodge – SA17 BJA0267 – Jaynes Gallery – Light Switch Covers – single toggle switch
Amazon Price: $11.75
List Price: $15.75
CucinaPro 313 Ricer/Spaetzle press
Amazon Price: $4.14
List Price: $9.99
OXO Good Grips Adjustable Potato Ricer
Amazon Price: $29.95
List Price: $29.99
Pasta Maker’s Kitchen Scale with WARRANTY! Weigh Gourmet Ingredients, Bulk Packaging, Food Portions & More! Ounce-to-Pound Conversions
Amazon Price: $28.49
List Price: $50.00
Danita Delimont – Cuisines – Peru, Machu Picchu, cuisine, Sanctuary Lodge – SA17 BJA0267 – Jaynes Gallery – Light Switch Covers – double toggle switch
Amazon Price: $13.75
List Price: $17.75

More Culinary Hubs by Audrey Kirchner

Healthy Snack and Cracker Recipes: How To Make Lavas…
HEALTHY RECIPES – HOW TO MAKE LAVASH CRACKERS Lavash crackers are a tremendous snack food as they are healthier than chips. They give you the option of eating something crispy and something you can…
Healthy Pizza Recipes: How To Make Greek Style Pizza…
This is a great snack recipe for watching World Cup Soccer or a championship basketball game! It is also great as a light dinner or for lunch. Greek Pizza actually refers to 2 different things – the…
Quick And Easy Recipe: Phyllo Dough Pizza Recipe For…
If you’re looking for a quick and easy recipe for dinner, lunch or snacks, this pizza recipe for vegetable pizza will make your day! I made up this recipe the other night when I was in a hurry to make…
Easy Recipe For Pizza Or Calzones From Scratch With …
I originally found this idea in a 2009 Cooking Light magazine but since then, I’ve used it several ways and made several adjustments to it as suggested below. However, the fact stands that the dough…
Great Enchilada Recipe: Shrimp And Spinach Enchilada…
I happened to try Shrimp and Spinach Enchiladas the other day while I was out at lunch and I have to say that they were fabulous! I’d never tried them before and decided to try my hand at making them. If…
Butternut Squash and Basil Pizza
I found this recipe on a package for Mama Marys individual pizza crust recipes but I decided to go a little further and tweak this recipe to incorporate a few more ingredients. The original recipe calls…
Best Ways To Cook Roast Beef: Roast Beef Slow-Roaste…
This recipe is so basic and so easy that it is a keeper for me! I actually was skeptical about the cooking time that was listed in the recipe I had seen on simplyrecipes.com and am glad that I did not follow…
Best Culinary Techniques For Cooking Beef: How To Co…
Hanger steak or skirt steak is another different cut of meat than most of us are used to seeing in the market. However, it is a culinary basic ingredient to have some familiarity with and know how to cook. …
Light And Healthy Oatmeal Cookies: How To Make Fanta…
I think these are the best light recipe I’ve discovered for oatmeal cookies! I found this recipe in the wonderful cookbook I would review as definitely The Best Light Recipe by cooks.com. However, I changed my…
Chocolate Chip Cookies – Light Recipe
I think these are the best light recipe I’ve discovered for chocolate chip cookies and they are only 100 calories! I found the recipe in Best Light Recipe by Cooks.com, however, I use a combination of walnuts…
Quick And Easy Recipe: Phyllo Dough Pizza Recipe For…
If you’re looking for a quick and easy recipe for dinner, lunch or snacks, this pizza recipe for vegetable pizza will make your day! I made up this recipe the other night when I was in a hurry to make…
Healthy Pizza Recipes: How To Make Greek Style Pizza…
This is a great snack recipe for watching World Cup Soccer or a championship basketball game! It is also great as a light dinner or for lunch. Greek Pizza actually refers to 2 different things – the…
Healthy Snack and Cracker Recipes: How To Make Lavas…
HEALTHY RECIPES – HOW TO MAKE LAVASH CRACKERS Lavash crackers are a tremendous snack food as they are healthier than chips. They give you the option of eating something crispy and something you can…
Great Enchilada Recipe: Shrimp And Spinach Enchilada…
I happened to try Shrimp and Spinach Enchiladas the other day while I was out at lunch and I have to say that they were fabulous! I’d never tried them before and decided to try my hand at making them. If…
Easy Recipe For Pizza Or Calzones From Scratch With …
I originally found this idea in a 2009 Cooking Light magazine but since then, I’ve used it several ways and made several adjustments to it as suggested below. However, the fact stands that the dough…
Healthy Lasagna Recipes: How To Make Light Chicken F…
Pasta and spinach is a win-win combination as far as I’m concerned and anything Florentine always gets me to try the recipe. I found this recipe many years ago in a Cooking Light magazine and it has become…
Chocolate Chip Cookies – Light Recipe
I think these are the best light recipe I’ve discovered for chocolate chip cookies and they are only 100 calories! I found the recipe in Best Light Recipe by Cooks.com, however, I use a combination of walnuts…
Light And Healthy Oatmeal Cookies: How To Make Fanta…
I think these are the best light recipe I’ve discovered for oatmeal cookies! I found this recipe in the wonderful cookbook I would review as definitely The Best Light Recipe by cooks.com. However, I changed my…
Best Culinary Techniques For Cooking Beef: How To Co…
Hanger steak or skirt steak is another different cut of meat than most of us are used to seeing in the market. However, it is a culinary basic ingredient to have some familiarity with and know how to cook. …
Best Ways To Cook Roast Beef: Roast Beef Slow-Roaste…
This recipe is so basic and so easy that it is a keeper for me! I actually was skeptical about the cooking time that was listed in the recipe I had seen on simplyrecipes.com and am glad that I did not follow…
Great Enchilada Recipe: Shrimp And Spinach Enchilada…
I happened to try Shrimp and Spinach Enchiladas the other day while I was out at lunch and I have to say that they were fabulous! I’d never tried them before and decided to try my hand at making them. If…
Recipes For Vegetable Lasagna: Easy Butternut Squash…
Like most people, I love Italian food and loving Italian food, I love lasagna. However, over the years, I tired of making the same old lasagna recipes so about 7 or so years back, I started sampling some of…
Butternut Squash and Basil Pizza
I found this recipe on a package for Mama Marys individual pizza crust recipes but I decided to go a little further and tweak this recipe to incorporate a few more ingredients. The original recipe calls…
Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking
Amazon Price: $14.99
List Price: $35.00
Everyday Italian: 125 Simple and Delicious Recipes
Amazon Price: $10.95
List Price: $35.00
Now Eat This! Italian: Favorite Dishes from the Real Mamas of Italy–All Under 350 Calories
Amazon Price: $15.01
List Price: $26.99
Carrabba’s Italian Grill: Recipes from Around Our Family Table
Amazon Price: $10.27
List Price: $19.99
Fantes Cousin Lianas Italian Gnocchi Board
Amazon Price: $2.99
CucinaPro 530 Cavatelli Maker
Amazon Price: $35.95
List Price: $44.99
Cavatelli and Gnocchi Maker 5300 – Original with Wooden Rollers
Amazon Price: $44.25