When I think of conveying love and comfort with food, it's often with a dish that's humble, but shows that I care. Baked Potato Gnocchi is just that kind of dish. Soft, like an angel's kiss, these light and tender dumplings are made from just a few simple ingredients. And while you don't need to break the bank or spend time looking for exotic ingredients, gnocchi does take just enough time to give the meal a "wow!" factor.
Gnocchi are made from potatoes and flour. So simple. In this recipe, the potatoes are baked and here's why: The more moisture you have, the more flour you'll need which can lead to heavy gnocchi. Boiling the potatoes, even with their skins on, adds more water to the situation and therefore, more flour. Baked potatoes bring no added water and result in the lightest gnocchi. I also recommend using a potato ricer or food mill for the potatoes if you have them, if not, you can mash them with a fork or masher. Use a light hand when kneading in the flour. Too much flour or kneading will yield heavy, leaden dumplings. There's magic in restraint, especially when making gnocchi.
The familiar ridges in gnocchi can be made using a gnocchi paddle, but a fork will do just fine. After cutting, you simply roll the pieces down the tines of the fork. Sauce these up with a simple tomato sauce or sauté your cooked gnocchi in a little vegan butter and lemon zest then sprinkle with fresh herbs. Their velvety texture seems to sop up the best of any sauce you choose. Have a lot of love to give and a little extra time? Make a double batch and freeze the rest for an easy dinner with someone you love.
Preheat oven to 400ºF. Place potatoes on a tray or in a casserole dish and bake for about one hour, or until tender. Remove from oven and let potatoes cool, just enough to handle. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, scoop out flesh. Reserve skins for another use or discard.
Press potato flesh through a potato ricer or food mill into a large bowl. (Carefully use a food grater if you don’t have a ricer or food mill or mash and fluff with a fork.) Mix in nutritional yeast, olive oil, salt, and nutmeg. Add the flour, 1/2 a cup at a time, and gently knead until it forms a shaggy dough (loose, but not sticky). Continue to knead gently until the dough comes together into a smooth, non-sticky ball, adding a little more flour if necessary.
Divide dough into four pieces using a sharp knife or bench scraper. Roll each piece into a rope, about a 1/2-inch in diameter. Cut the rope into 1/2-inch pieces. Leave pieces as is or roll each piece across the floured tines of a fork to make ridges on one side and an indentation on the other. (The ridges help keep the sauce on.)
Place pieces on a lightly floured parchment-lined baking sheet until ready to cook. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Working in batches so as not to overcrowd, cook the gnocchi until they float to the surface, about 3 to 4 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the gnocchi from the pot and place them in a bowl. Drizzle with a little olive oil so they don’t stick. Continue to cook the remaining gnocchi. Gently toss with your favorite sauce and serve.
Preheat oven to 400ºF. Place potatoes on a tray or in a casserole dish and bake for about one hour, or until tender. Remove from oven and let potatoes cool, just enough to handle. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, scoop out flesh. Reserve skins for another use or discard.
Press potato flesh through a potato ricer or food mill into a large bowl. (Carefully use a food grater if you don’t have a ricer or food mill or mash and fluff with a fork.) Mix in nutritional yeast, olive oil, salt, and nutmeg. Add the flour, 1/2 a cup at a time, and gently knead until it forms a shaggy dough (loose, but not sticky). Continue to knead gently until the dough comes together into a smooth, non-sticky ball, adding a little more flour if necessary.
Divide dough into four pieces using a sharp knife or bench scraper. Roll each piece into a rope, about a 1/2-inch in diameter. Cut the rope into 1/2-inch pieces. Leave pieces as is or roll each piece across the floured tines of a fork to make ridges on one side and an indentation on the other. (The ridges help keep the sauce on.)
Place pieces on a lightly floured parchment-lined baking sheet until ready to cook. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Working in batches so as not to overcrowd, cook the gnocchi until they float to the surface, about 3 to 4 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the gnocchi from the pot and place them in a bowl. Drizzle with a little olive oil so they don’t stick. Continue to cook the remaining gnocchi. Gently toss with your favorite sauce and serve.
