On 01/05/04 08:56, "Benjamin Johnston" >
écrivut:

>
> Hi,
>
> I've almost given up on gnocchi. I've tried making it many times - with
> varying amounts of potato, flour and semolina. I've tried kneading it for
> different lengths of time. I've tried several recipies. But I just can't get
> my gnocchi to taste anywhere near the stuff you get in restaurants or even
> from a supermarket.
>
> Every single time it comes out rubbery. Really heavy and dense and rubbery.
> I'm pretty sure it isn't a problem with the cooking - because I can cook
> store-bought gnocchi fine. I'm pretty sure I must be doing something wrong
> during the preparation.
>
> Any ideas?
>

I haven't seen your recipe, but first of all:

- drop the semolina (this is most important). Use only soft flour and eggs
with your mashed potato.

- the potatoes for gnocchi should be very mealy, not waxy. The original
recipe from Nice recommends "old and mealy potatoes". They should be
well-cooked in order to avoid lumps. Mealy potatoes make light gnocchi.

- mix the dough while the mashed potato is still hot. Waiting until it has
cooled down results in tough gnocchi.

- Don't handle the dough. Mix and knead with a fork or/and a wooden spatula.
Don't touch it with your hands except when shaping the "sausage" from which
you'll cut your gnocchi, and then knead as little as possible.

- After cutting the gnocchi, use the back of a fork to give them their
definitive shape.

I suspect the toughness of your gnocchi is mostly caused by the fact that
you use semolina.

You can try this recipe I learned while growing up in Nice (Nice is, like
Genova, one of the birthplaces of gnocchi). I've always made them that way
and they're not rubbery at all.

Gnocchi

2 pounds old and mealy potatoes
1/2 pound flour
1 egg
Salt, pepper
Grated parmesan or sbrinz cheese
Butter

Boil potatoes. Peel them.

Mash them through the finest grid of a "moulinette" (mouli-légume, a device
that "rices" potato without making a lump of it). Don't wait until it gets
cold and mix swiftly with a fork, adding flour and beaten egg. Switch from
fork to wooden spatula when necessary. When dough is smooth, let it rest for
1/2 hour.

Shape into balls the size of an egg and roll them into "sausages" with one
palm. Cut into 1-inch pieces.

You may press the middle of each gnocchi lightly with your thumb or roll
them on the board with the back of a fork to make the traditional gnocchi
"ridges".

Cook in boiling salted water. When the gnocchi rise to the surface, they're
cooked. Toss in butter, Parmesan cheese and freshly milled pepper. You may
also serve them in tomato sauce or the sauce from a daube de boeuf.