Gnocchi is Served

A serving suggestion for Potato Gnocchi.


Gnocchi with Tomato Cream Sauce & Fresh Mozzarella
Printable Recipe

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 to 6 cloves garlic, minced
26 ounces strained tomatoes, preferably Pomì brand
1/3 cup heavy cream
3 to 4 large sprigs basil, plus chiffonaded leaves for serving
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 recipe Potato Gnocchi
8 ounces fresh mozzarella, drained and diced
Grated Parmegiano-Reggiano, for serving

Heat a large, heavy sauté pan over medium-high heat until very hot but not smoking. Add the oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Add the tomatoes, cream, and basil sprigs. Bring to a boil and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 16 to 18 minutes, or until thickened and saucy.

Cook the gnocchi in 2 or 3 batches in a large pot of boiling, salted water, stirring occasionally, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until they float to the surface of the water. Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper and discard the basil sprigs. When the gnocchi float to the surface of the water, using a wire skimmer, transfer them from the pot to the sauce and gently toss to combine. Remove from the heat, let cool for a few minutes, and stir in the mozzarella. Arrange on individual plates, top with plenty of Parmegiano and basil, and serve immediately.

Serves 4 as a main course. Fresh mozzarella balls come in a variety of sizes, and if you want a shortcut, look for pearlini, which are so small they don’t even need to be diced. Be sure to let the gnocchi cool a bit before adding the mozzarella, or it will melt into a gooey mess. It also helps if the mozzarella is cold when it goes in. For a quick and easy variation which happens to be a weeknight favorite at my house, serve this sauce with penne rigate instead of gnocchi. And if you like that idea, you may like Penne with Tomato-Pepper Sauce & Fresh Mozzarella. This vegetarian dish has been known to satisfy meat eaters.

Authentic Potato Gnocchi

What better way to learn to cook than to get into the kitchen and work shoulder to shoulder with your grandmother?

Sorta makes me wish I had a French grandmother and a Mexican grandmother and a Chinese grandmother and an Indian grandmother and an Italian grandmother. Definitely an Italian grandmother. She would've taught me to make authentic soft, pillowy gnocchi. But since I do not have an Italian grandmother, I had to figure it out for myself. I'm pretty sure my Italian grandmother would've been proud of these…


Potato Gnocchi
Printable Recipe

3 large Russet potatoes (about 2 pounds)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 large egg
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

Preheat the oven to 375˚F. Place the potatoes on a rack on a baking tray and bake for about 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until cooked through. Let rest for about 15 minutes, or until just cool enough to handle. Peel and puree in a ricer using the finest disc. Spread evenly on the baking tray and let cool to room temperature.

Transfer the potato puree to a large bowl, season to taste with salt and pepper, and stir in the egg. Stir in the flour. Transfer to a work surface and knead briefly until smooth. Cut the dough into eighths. Roll 1 portion of dough into a ½-inch thick rope and sprinkle lightly with flour. Using a bench knife, cut the rope into ½-inch pieces. Roll 1 side of each piece of dough against a lightly floured gnocchi board or the back of the tines of a fork, pressing the other side lightly with your thumb as you roll. Make more gnocchi with the remaining dough in the same manner. As you work, arrange the gnocchi in a single layer on lightly floured parchment-lined baking trays. Let dry for up to 2 hours.

Cook the gnocchi in 2 or 3 batches in a large pot of boiling, salted water, stirring occasionally, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until they float to the surface of the water. Remove the gnocchi from the pot using a wire skimmer. Serve immediately as desired.

Serves 4 as a main course. The key to making light, fluffy gnocchi is to drive off as much of the moisture from the potato as possible during baking and cooling and to incorporate as little flour into the dough as possible. (Hence, recipes that call for boiling or steaming the potatoes yield inferior results.) The dough will be a bit soft and sticky, but it should be smooth and fairly easy to knead and form. Keep your hands, work surface, tools, and dough lightly floured as you work but avoid adding excess flour. Serve the gnocchi tossed with plain butter, brown butter and sage, or your favorite pasta sauce and sprinkled with grated Parmegiano-Reggiano. Gnocchi with Tomato Cream Sauce & Fresh Mozzarella is a winning combination. Uncooked gnocchi may be frozen in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking tray and transferred to a zip-top bag when frozen solid. Gnocchi keep for several weeks frozen. Cook them straight from the freezer—do not thaw.

Butternut Squash Gnocchi

Call it dedication, call it the pursuit of perfection, or call me crazy.


Over the last three days I’ve made four batches of gnocchi so that I could give you the ultimate Butternut Squash Gnocchi recipe.


Butternut Squash Gnocchi
Printable Recipe

½ large butternut squash (about 2 ¼ pounds), seeded
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
12 ounces all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Place the butternut squash cut side down on a baking tray and roast for about 30 minutes. Turn and roast another 45 minutes, or until very tender. Let rest for about 15 minutes, or until just cool enough to handle. Peel and puree in a food mill using a fine disc. Spread evenly on the baking tray and let cool to room temperature.

Transfer the butternut squash puree to a large bowl, season to taste with salt and pepper, and stir in the flour. Transfer to a work surface and knead briefly until smooth. Cut the dough into eighths. Roll 1 portion of dough into a ½-inch thick rope and sprinkle lightly with flour. Using a bench knife, cut the rope into ½-inch pieces. Roll 1 side of each piece of dough against a lightly floured gnocchi board or the back of the tines of a fork, pressing the other side lightly with your thumb as you roll. Make more gnocchi with the remaining dough in the same manner. As you work, arrange the gnocchi in a single layer on lightly floured parchment-lined baking trays. Let dry for up to 2 hours.

Cook the gnocchi in 2 or 3 batches in a large pot of boiling, salted water, stirring occasionally, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until they float to the surface of the water. Remove the gnocchi from the pot using a wire skimmer. Serve immediately as desired.


Serves 4 as a main course. Select a 4 ½-pound butternut squash and use the second half for another purpose. The key to making light, fluffy gnocchi is to drive off as much of the moisture from the butternut squash as possible during roasting and cooling and to incorporate as little flour into the dough as possible. It seems that the squash puree absorbs the least flour if it’s left to cool at room temperature for at least a couple of hours. The dough will be a bit soft and sticky, but it should be smooth and fairly easy to knead and form. Keep your hands, work surface, tools, and dough lightly floured as you work but avoid adding excess flour.


Serve the gnocchi tossed with plain butter, brown butter and sage, or your favorite pasta sauce and sprinkled with grated Parmegiano-Reggiano. Perfect in the fall when squash is abundant. Uncooked gnocchi may be frozen in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking tray and transferred to a zip-top bag when frozen solid. Gnocchi keep for several weeks frozen. Cook them straight from the freezer—do not thaw.

Comfort Food

No other food reminds me of my grandmother as much as matzoh balls. It’s funny, Baba wasn’t even known for her matzoh balls—she didn’t make them all that often, and when she did, my grandfather and I had a fantastic time teasing her because, though they were delicious and light and fluffy, her matzoh balls looked more like to matzoh blobs. Still, to this day, matzoh balls give me that warm, fuzzy feeling, just like Baba always did. Try them some chilly evening, you’ll feel as if you’ve just gotten a big, warm hug. Now that’s what I call comfort food.


Matzoh Balls in Broth
Printable Recipe

2 large eggs, at room temperature
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tablespoon water
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
½ cup matzoh meal
Generous pinch baking powder
1 quart chicken broth

Whisk together the eggs, butter, water, salt, and a generous pinch of pepper in a large bowl. Mix together the matzoh meal and baking powder in a small bowl. Stir the matzoh meal mixture into the egg mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about an hour, or until chilled. Divide the mixture into 6 portions and form each portion into a ball. Arrange on a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for another 15 minutes, or until firm.

Bring the broth to a simmer in a small pot. Add the matzoh balls and simmer, covered, for about 20 minutes, or until tender and cooked through. Ladle into individual bowls and serve immediately.

Makes 2 generous servings. For a more substantial meal, add diced celery and carrots to the broth and simmer until tender before adding the matzoh balls. And add a bit of shredded cooked chicken near the end of the cooking time. This recipe can be doubled.