Homemade potato gnocchi is a light, pillowy Italian pasta made from baked potatoes, egg yolks, and flour, requiring careful handling to avoid overworking the dough. The standout trait is achieving the perfect tender texture by using baked rather than boiled potatoes, which reduces moisture content.
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Preheat your oven to 350°F (176°C).
Wash the potatoes and poke them all over with a fork.
Bake for about 1 hour, or until fork-tender.
Remove the potatoes from the oven, cut them in half, and open them up to allow steam to escape.
Once cool enough to handle, peel the potatoes and pass the flesh through a potato ricer, sieve, or grate it on a box grater into a large bowl.
Add the egg yolks and a pinch of salt to the riced potatoes.
Add the flour and gently mix with a bench scraper or your hands until a soft dough forms. Be careful not to overwork it.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out.
Cut the dough into long strips, then roll each strip into a rope about 1/2-inch thick.
Cut the ropes into 1-inch pieces to form the gnocchi pillows.
Gently roll each gnocchi over the back of a fork to create ridges.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the gnocchi and cook until they float to the surface.
While the gnocchi cooks, warm the heavy cream in a separate pan over medium heat.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked gnocchi directly from the boiling water to the pan with the cream.
Add a splash of the pasta water, the cold butter, and the grated Parmesan cheese to the pan.
Gently toss everything together until the butter and cheese melt, creating a creamy sauce that coats the gnocchi.
Serve immediately, topped with freshly ground black pepper.
Uncooked gnocchi freeze well for up to 3 weeks on a parchment-lined tray, then cooked directly from frozen. Leftover cooked gnocchi store in an airtight container for 3 days; reheat gently in butter or cream over low heat.
Baking potatoes removes excess moisture, which prevents the dough from becoming too sticky and dense. This results in lighter, fluffier gnocchi that hold their shape better during cooking.
Yes. Form and cut the gnocchi, then freeze on a parchment-lined tray until solid. Cook directly from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes to the cooking time.
Gnocchi are ready when they float to the surface and stay there for 1–2 minutes. They should be tender but not mushy.
Yes. Type 00 flour or cake flour will make them even more tender; whole wheat flour adds nuttiness but requires slightly less water. Avoid bread flour, which creates tough gnocchi.
Overworking the dough or using potatoes with too much moisture causes this. Keep handling minimal, work on a floured surface, and use baked potatoes cooled slightly before mashing.
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