Using Russets or Idaho potatoes is critical to the success of this recipe. Without wheat flour which adds the stretchy gluten to hold the gnocchi together, starchy potatoes provide virtually the same structure you need. Baking the potatoes gives you not only stronger flavor, but also they do not absorb moisture that happens when you boil them. For that same reason baked potatoes versus boiled also require less flour which makes for a lighter fluffy gnocchi. Wheat flour has been substituted with a combination of rice flour and sweet rice flour making the Gnocchi almost gluten-free. Sweet rice flour is made from glutinous short grain rice.
2 pounds russet potatoes, washed
1 cup white rice flour
1/2 cup sweet rice flour
2 large eggs
Pink Himalayan salt, fresh ground black pepper and a dash of paprika, to taste
1 batch BOLOGNESE sauce
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Pierce potatoes a few times with a knife and place on a baking sheet.
- Roast until tender, about one hour.
- Remove potatoes from oven and allow to cool.
- Whisk together white rice flour and sweet rice flour.
- Using some of the flour mixture, make yourself a floured surface.
- Peel the potatoes and pass through a potato ricer onto the floured surface.
- Whisk together eggs, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper and paprika to taste.
- Pour over the potatoes.
- Work the egg mixture into the potatoes with a fork until potatoes begin to hold together. Mixture will be sticky.
- Work one cup of the flour mixture into the potato mixture with a fork.
- As soon as a dough begins to form, begin kneading the dough by hand until all the flour is incorporated. The dough should be firm and not sticky. If it is sticky, add the remaining flour mixture, about 1/4 cup at a time. You can pre-test the gnocchi by boiling a small pot of water and cooking a small piece of the dough. The gnocchi should hold together.
- Divide the dough into quarters.
- As you work with each quarter, cut it in half.
- Cover remaining dough with a damp paper towel.
- Roll out each dough eighth into a log.
- Cut into bite-size pieces.
- Shape by either pressing a small indentation into each gnocchi or rolling the gnocchi over a fork.
- Transfer shaped gnocchi to a lightly white rice-floured baking sheet.
Shaped gnocchi can either be cooked right away or frozen for future use.
To Freeze: Place baking sheet filled with gnocchi in the freezer. Once the gnocchi are frozen, transfer to a plastic freezer bag. Gnocchi may be frozen for up to two months.
To Cook: Boil a large pot of salted water. Cook half the fresh or frozen gnocchi in the boiling water until they float, about 2-4 minutes. Do NOT crowd the pot. Test a gnocchi to ensure it is cooked through. Remove the gnocchi from the water with a skimmer and transfer to a bowl or pot of sauce. Repeat with remaining gnocchi. If gnocchi must be held for more than a moment, drizzle with oil and toss to prevent sticking.
BOLOGNESE SAUCE
1 pound COSTCO organic ground beef
1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage
1 medium Vidalia onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
5 large Roma tomatoes, slice thin
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon fennel seed
2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- Brown ground beef, Italian sausage, onions and garlic. Drain fat.
- Add diced tomatoes, tomato paste and tomato sauce.
- Stir in sugar, salt, pepper, basil, Italian seasoning and fennel, mixing well.
- Lay tomato slices evenly on top. Cover.
- Simmer for 2 hours over low heat. Stir in tomato slices until well blended. At this time you can proceed to finish the lasagna or refrigerate the sauce until ready.