Plum Gnocci Food

POTATO GNOCCHI

Steps:

• Add the potatoes to a large pot, cover with cold water by about 2 inches and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook at a steady boil, adding more water to the pot if necessary, until the potatoes can be pierced easily with the tip of a knife, about 50 minutes. Drain and set aside until cool enough to handle.
• Peel the potatoes and cut the flesh into large pieces. Pass the potato flesh through a potato ricer (see Cook's Note) into a mound on a clean work surface and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt. Let the potatoes cool completely.
• Sprinkle the flour over the mound of potatoes. Drizzle the egg over the flour and begin to combine with a fork. Once everything has started to clump together, use your hands to gently knead and fully combine the ingredients, about 2 minutes; do not overwork the dough. Gather the dough into a ball.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment. Cut the dough into 4 pieces. Working with one piece at a time on a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 3/4-inch-thick log. Use a bench scraper or knife to cut the log into 1-inch pieces. Roll each piece on a gnocchi paddle or the back of the tines of a fork to form grooves. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the gnocchi and cook until they begin to float, 1 to 2 minutes, then cook 1 minute longer. Strain and toss with sauce as desired.

PLUM GNOCCI

Steps:

• If using Italian prune plums, halve them lengthwise and remove the pits. Fill each cavity with 1/2 teaspoon of the sugar and re-form the plums by pressing the halves together. If using larger plums, halve them crosswise, separate the halves neatly, and remove the pits with a small melon baller. Cut them into 1/2-inch dice. In a small sugar bowl, toss the diced plums with 1/4 cup of the sugar.
• While you prepare the gnocchi dough, bring the water to a boil in a large pot over high heat.
• Flour your hands, the dough, and the work surface. Roll the dough under your palms to form a cylinder 2 inches in diameter and slice it evenly into 24 rounds. Flatten each round in the palm of one hand to a circle about 5 inches in diameter. Place an Italian plum or about 2 tablespoons of the sweetened diced plums (or 2 tablespoons of the jam) in the center of each dough circle. Carefully gather the dough up around the fruit (or jam), enclosing it completely without tearing the dough. Pat the dough between your hands to seal and even the gnocchi. Flour the dough and your hands lightly as you work and place the gnocchi on a lightly floured baking sheet as you form them.
• Add as many of the gnocchi as will fit without touching (about half) a few at a time to the boiling water, stirring gently with a wooden spoon to prevent sticking. Cook until the dough is tender and the plums are very soft, about 8 minutes after they rise to the surface.
• Meanwhile, in a heavy, medium-size skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the bread crumbs and toast, stirring almost constantly, until golden brown, about 7 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and the cinnamon, and blend thoroughly. Transfer to a large baking dish.
• Remove the cooked gnocchi with a slotted spoon, draining them well, and repeat with the remaining gnocchi. Roll the cooked and drained gnocchi while still warm in the bread-crumb mixture until all are well coated. Arrange on a serving plate and sprinkle with any bread crumbs remaining in the baking dish. Serve warm.
• Place the potatoes in a large pot with enough cold water to cover. Bring the water to a boil and cook, partially covered, until the potatoes are easily pierced with a skewer but the skins are not split, about 35 minutes. (Alternatively, the potatoes can be baked in a preheated 400-degree oven until tender, about 40 minutes.)
• Drain the potatoes and let them stand just until cool enough to handle. (The hotter the potatoes are when they are peeled and riced, the lighter the gnocchi will be.) Working quickly and protecting the hand that holds the potatoes with a folded kitchen towel or oven mitt, scrape the skin from the potato with a paring knife. Press the peeled potatoes through a potato ricer. Alternatively, the potatoes can be passed through a food mill fitted with the fine disc, but a ricer makes fluffier potatoes and therefore lighter gnocci. Spread the riced potatoes into a thin, even layer on the work surface, without pressing them or compacting them. Let them cool completely.
• In a small bowl, beat the egg, salt, and nutmeg together. Gather the cold potatoes into a mound and form a well in the center. Pour the egg mixture into the well. Knead the potato and egg mixtures together with both hands, gradually adding enough of the flour, about 1 1/2 cups, to form a smooth but slightly sticky dough. It should take no longer than 3 minutes to work the flour into the potato mixture; remember, the longer the dough is kneaded, the more flour it will require and the heavier it will become. As you knead the dough, it will stick to your hands and to the work surface: Repeatedly rub this rough dough from your hands and scrape it with a knife or dough scraper from the work surface back into the dough as you knead. Dough is ready to be filled.

GNOCCHI DI SUSINE (PLUM GNOCCHI)

Steps:

• Place potatoes in a large pot, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
• Cook potatoes, partially covered, until tender, about 35 minutes.
• Drain and set aside until cool enough to handle (but not too long: The hotter potatoes are when peeled and riced, the lighter gnocchi will be).
• Peel potatoes, then press through a potato ricer onto a clean surface.
• Spread in a thin layer to cool completely.
• Gather potatoes into a mound, form a well, add egg, salt, and nutmeg, and beat together.
• Knead dough, gradually adding about 1 1/2 cups flour, until smooth and slightly sticky.
• Roll out dough on a floured surface to 1/4'' thick.
• Using a 4'' round cookie cutter or a glass, cut out 30 circles.
• Gather scraps together to roll out again, if necessary.
• To fill gnocchi, cut plums into 30 3/4'' pieces.
• Place a dough circle in palm of your hand, place a piece of plum in center, then sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoons sugar.
• Gather dough up and around plum and press to seal, pinching dough together if it tears. Shape into a smooth, even ball, then place on a lightly floured tray.
• Repeat with remaining dough and filling.
• Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
• Add bread crumbs and toast, stirring constantly, until deep golden brown, about 7 minutes.
• Remove from heat and add cinnamon and remaining sugar.
• Cook gnocchi in small batches (so that they don't touch) in a large pot of boiling water over high heat.
• Stir gently to prevent sticking and cook until dough is tender and slightly translucent, about 20 minutes.
• Lift gnocchi from boiling water with a slotted spoon, drain well, then roll each in the bread crumbs to coat well.
• Arrange on a serving platter and sprinkle with any remaining bread crumbs.
• Serve warm.

GRANDMA MABEL'S GNOCCHI

Steps:

• For the gnocchi: Place the potatoes in a large stockpot, then fill with enough water to cover the potatoes three-quarters of the way. Set on the stove to boil until tender, about 45 minutes. Peel the potatoes and place through a ricer while still hot, then cool in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes.
• Place the eggs in a mixing bowl and add the salt. Whisk with a fork, then add the potatoes and blend with a rubber spatula until mixed. Add the flour and dump the dough on a nice rolling table, then knead the dough just until it is all mixed and there are no lumps, making sure the dough can hold shapes. Pinch off a piece about the size of a fist, then roll it out into a nice long snake that is the diameter of a quarter. Cut on the bias making about 1-inch cuts, and place on a parchment-lined sheet pan dusted with flour. Freeze for at least 6 hours and up to 8 hours.
• For the butter bacon onions: Cook the bacon in a sauté pan over medium heat until cooked and all the fat is rendered down. Transfer the bacon to a plate and cook the onions in the rendered bacon fat over medium heat until nice and caramelized. Add the bacon back to the pan along with the butter. Stir until the butter is melted and blended. (This can be made ahead of time, then cooled and used as needed.)
• To finish, bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add about 25 frozen gnocchi and cook until they float to the top, 8 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a separate pan, heat up 5 ounces butter bacon onion sauce. Strain the gnocchi and add to the sauce. Cook until the gnocchi are coated all over, about 1 minute, then garnish with the Parmesan and chiffonade of basil.

PLUM GNOCCHI

Steps:

• If using Italian prune plums, halve them lengthwise and remove the pits. Fill each cavity with 1/2 teaspoon of the sugar and re-form the plums by pressing the halves together. If using larger plums, halve them crosswise, remove the pits and cut into 1/2-inch dice. Toss the diced plums with 1/4 cup of the sugar.
• Prepare gnocchi dough according to the recipe without the pepper or cheese. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Meanwhile, on a flour-dusted surface roll the dough under your palms to form a cylinder 2 inches in diameter and slice into 24 rounds. Flatten each into a circle 5 inches in diameter. Place a plum or about 3 tablespoons of the diced plums or 2 tablespoons jam in the center of each dough circle. Gather the dough up around the filling, enclosing it completely without tearing the dough. Pat the dough between your hands to seal and even the gnocchi.
• Drop gnocchi in the boiling water. Cook until the dough is tender, stirring gently to prevent sticking, about 8 minutes after they rise to the surface. Meanwhile, in a medium-size skillet, melt the butter and the bread crumbs and toast until golden brown. Remove from heat and stir in remaining 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon. Transfer to a baking dish.
• Remove gnocchi from the water and roll in the bread crumb mixture until all are well coated. Arrange on a serving plate and sprinkle with remaining crumbs.

POTATO GNOCCHI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Wash the potatoes, prick them with a fork and place them on a sheet pan. Bake them until very soft, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. (Resist roasting them at a higher temperature to speed up the process--you want the skin and flesh just inside the skin to become crusty.) Cool them slightly and scoop out the insides. Rice the scooped potato with a ricer, or mash them with a fork. Place them in a bowl and cover with a damp cloth to retain their heat. The potatoes must be used while they are still very warm.
• Beat the eggs and yolk lightly together in a small bowl. Add them to the potatoes along with the flour, rosemary, salt, a few grinds of freshly ground black pepper. Mix gently with your hands until all the ingredients are well incorporated and the dough is smooth.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured flat surface. Lightly knead and add a little more flour if the dough is overly sticky. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes, uncovered.
• Roll the dough into thin 1/2-inch thick logs and cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Using a generous amount of flour, press each piece against your thumb tip to make a dent or roll it over the back and off the tip of a floured fork tines to make the traditional ridged shape. Place the finished gnocchi on a lightly floured sheet pan. Cook them as soon as possible in boiling salted water. (For every 5 quarts of water add 2 tablespoons of kosher salt.)
• Add the gnocchi to the boiling water. When they rise to the top, let them cook for a minute or two and then remove them with a slotted spoon. Drain well and toss with butter.