I realize that when it comes to January Food — carrot sticks, soup, legumes and other things I suspect, what with it being the third week of the month, you are already tiring of — gnocchi, thick dumpling-like pasta made from potatoes, hardly makes the cut. It’s, in fact, not even invited to the party, having no place among the sweatband-ed, pumped up, high-topped aerobicized… okay, maybe my brain went straight past “earnest attempts at resolution-inspired rebalance” to a Richard Simmons video, circa 1982. These things, they happen.
But a kale-apple-ginger smoothie, gnocchi is not. And yet, this dish from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook is one of my favorite things to make after a month of holiday gluttony because it is both light and filling, yet warm enough for the coldest day. The thing with gnocchi is that it’s so plagued by a reputation of being bad for you that it’s presumed that if you’re eating it, your arteries/girth/sense of proportion must already be doomed so let’s just ladle on the blue cheese, okay? And, indeed, most restaurants will serve it with butter, cream, cheese and other rich ingredients, such as truffles, probably with more butter. It’s not my thing; I think such preparations wreck the delicacy that’s at the heart of perfect gnocchi, which is featherlight, dumpling-like and best appreciated in a puddle of intensely flavored broth. It’s true: I turned the Italian classic of gnocchi and red sauce into a riff on matzo ball soup, and I’m not even a little sorry.
Of course, waiting until the third paragraph to argue that featherlight homemade gnocchi is both doable and worth it at home is akin to burying the lede, but I insist that it is. I think gnocchi is one of those dishes that has been made needlessly intimidating to make at home by well-intentioned but ultimated head-spinning recipes. In early attempts, I too have been flummoxed by the idea that without a potato ricer or food mill and gnocchi rolling board, I shouldn’t even bother and even when I did, I was still plagued by leaden, gluey globs of pasta that never cooked through. But once I got it right, I realized how easy it was and, being me, immediately had to tell the world. I’m going to argue below that not only none of these things are necessary, that once you have some potatoes baked and ready to use, gnocchi is the kind of dish that’s so easy to pull together, you could even have it for dinner this very evening. I dare you to argue this doesn’t trump the fifth bottle of that juice cleanse you had planned.
Book Tour, Part II When The Smitten Kitchen Book Tour worked its way from Washington to Houston to Los Angeles, Vancouver, Chicago, Toronto and Boston in late 2012, did you feel left out? Did you say something? Because we were listening, and decided at the earliest interval decided it would be fun to get back out there and make things right. This second tour, between mid-February and mid-March, will include eight unintentionally overlooked cities and I hope if we missed you the first time that yours is one of them. I hope we finally get to hang out. [The Smitten Kitchen Book Tour, Part II]
Nevertheless, I realize we’re still missing some great towns, and want to very seriously encourage those of you who live in far-flung ports — say, The Caribbean, Paris, Morocco or Hawaii — to lobby loud and vigorously for additional stops. For me. Ahem, us.
One year ago… Coming in a bit!
Gnocchi in Tomato Broth
From The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook
Yield: 2 1/2 to 3 cups broth and 85 to 100 gnocchi, serving 4
Tomato broth
2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 medium stalk celery, chopped
1 small yellow onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
1/2 cup (120 ml) white wine
One 28-ounce (795 grams) can whole or chopped tomatoes with juices
Small handful fresh basil leaves, plus more for garnish
2 cups (475 ml) chicken or vegetable stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Gnocchi
2 pounds (905 grams) Russet potatoes (3 to 4)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon table salt
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups (156 to 190 grams) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting surface
To finish
Fresh ricotta or shaved Parmesan, to taste, plus addition slivers of basil leaves (optional)
Bake potatoes: Heat your oven to 400 degrees. Bake potatoes for 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on size, until a thin knife can easily pierce through them. Meanwhile, prepare the tomato broth.
Make tomato broth: Heat the oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat. One it’s hot, add the carrot, celery, and onion, and cook together for 5 minutes, reducing the heat to medium if they begin to brown. Add the garlic, and cook for one minute more. Pour in the wine, and use it to scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan, then cook the wine unti it is reduced by half, for several minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, mashing them a bit with a spoon if they’re whole, and the basil and stock, and simmer until the tomato broth thickens slightly, for about 45 minutes. Strain out the vegetables in a fine-mesh colander, and season the broth with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside until needed.
Make gnocchi: Let the potatoes cool for 10 minutes after baking, then peel them with a knife or a peeler. Run the potatoes through a potato ricer or grate them on the large holes of a box grater (grated baked potatoes will fall apart, which is the goal). Cool them to lukewarm, about another 10 minutes. Add the egg and salt, mixing to combine. Add 1/2 cup flour, and mix to combine. Add the next 1/2 cup flour, mixing again. Add 1/4 cup flour, and see if this is enough to form a dough that does not easily stick to your hands. If not, add the last 1/4 cup of flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough is soft but only a little sticky, and able to hold its shape enough to be rolled into a rope. Knead the dough together briefly, gently, on a counter, just for a minute.
Divide the dough into quarters. Roll each piece into a long rope, about 3/4-inch thick. Cut each rope into 3/4-inch lengths. At this point, you can use a floured fork or a gnocchi board to give each piece the traditional ridges, but I never bother. (The ridges are supposed to help sauce adhere, but here, we’re just floating them in a broth so it’s not a top concern.) Place the gnocchi on a a parchment-lined tray.
[Do ahead: If you’d like to freeze gnocchi for later user, do so on this tray. Once they are frozen, drop them into a freezer bag until needed. No need to defrost before cooking them; it will just take a minute or two longer.]
Cook gnocchi: Place the gnocchi, a quarter-batch at a time, into a pot of boiling well-salted water. Cook the gnocchi until they float — about 2 minutes — then drain.
Assemble dish: Meanwhile, reheat broth to a simmer. Add drained gnocchi then reheat through. Serve gnocchi and broth together, garnished with a few slivers of basil leaves and/or a dollop of fresh ricotto or some Parmesan shavings, if desired.
love!
The first recipe I made from your cookbook – hooray!
While reading through the cookbook yesterday, I came across this recipe and immediately pushed it to the top of my “must-make” list. Pillowy gnocchi in a light broth is my idea of heaven!
I have never made Gnocchi but have been hearing it is not just for chefs – maybe I should finally give it ago. Light gnocchi sounds perfect for these cold winter evenings!
I made this from the cookbook and it was everything you describe it to be! It was the first time I’ve ever made gnocchi, and since these are so perfect, I can’t see what the fuss is all about. We made the whole batch of broth but only cooked half the gnocchi, which was perfect because the two of us kept wanting more and more of the broth. You know what… I might go cook the frozen ones for lunch right now!
So wait. You’re counting up to 25 gnocchi per person? I love you!
frau — Whoops! You’re right, that’s crazy high. I think you’ll have some extra gnocchi. ;)
Hi, I’m not supposed to eat potato but sweet potato is allowed (apparently better nutritional value). Do you think I can just substitute it with sweet potato in this recipes or do you have any additional tricks I’d need to make it the same consistency? Thanks and congrats on the books, book tour, etc- I was raving about it to all my friends and family in Hungary, so hopefully translations are coming soon?! :)
I wonder what would happen if you cooked the gnocchi IN the broth. Yummy!
Oh man, the weekend you are scheduled to be in Montreal, I am scheduled to be in NY!
Make sure to try some Montreal bagels whilst you are in town, if you haven’t had them before!
This recipe rocked our socks! We made it a few weeks ago and I’m still dreaming about it. The broth was such a simple addition to the gnocchi but it was so flavorful that it could almost be a stand-alone soup.
This was the first thing I made after cracking into our stash of new cookbooks when we got back from our honeymoon a few months ago! So delicious! And promptly secured my “gee, it was a good idea to put a ring on that one” status ;)
But srsly, the tomato broth is so delicious I could drink buckets of it alone!
Yeah… carrot sticks. Bleh. Bring on the gnocchi! Love everything about this dish, Deb. Totally comforting.
I haven’t tried these yet from the cookbook, probably because I concentrated on desserts first. I need to get more russet potatoes in the house, because the one potato is definitely not enough for a decent pile of gnocchi.
YYYEEEESSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!
You’re coming to Quail Ridge!!
*SNOOPYDANCE*
Oh…and nice gnocchi, too! =)
I have been wanting to make this! Anything with potatoes is good in my book. It is in line right after the cheddar rolls.
Any ideas for the leftover vegetables? I don’t like wasting good things :)
And then maybe a Europe book tour? :)
Thank you thank you for coming to Denver! I can’t wait to see you! And I have high hopes for your gnocchi after a few disatrous attempts with other recipes. I have the feeling this one will be a winner.
Do come to Paris! If my vote is not enough I can bring my husband and some friends. That counts as at least ten people. :-)
I can’t believe you’re coming to Salt Lake City – I gasped out loud! Can’t WAIT!! Also, I’m a homemade gnocchi convert after making them with butternut squash and loving them. I’ll make these soon!
Anyone ever have any luck with making gnocchi gluten free? Maybe with coconut flour? One of those things I didn’t get to try before I found out wheat is not my friend. BOO! (BTW, Deb – I keep getting your email because so many of your recipes are either free of wheat or easy to make that way. THANK YOU! Also, I’ve been crushin on that sweet brown eyed baby since first you posted a pic! SK, always a fave <3 )
I have found some good GF gnocchi online. You might try aquafaba as a sub for the egg. I have found it works quite well. Good luck!
Blending vegetables into a good soup is a happy medium, and that gnocchi is a great, just a smaller portion, and perhaps a nice glass of Merlot. We have instigated Merlot Mondays.
I love gnocchi and can’t wait to try this recipe! I was saddened to see Indianapolis did not make the list for Part II! Know if you come visit, you’ll have at least two very enthusiastic fans to cheer you on and bring you something yummy to eat! We’re two West Coast transplants living in the heartland and would love to meet you!
Do you have a brand of potato ricers you recommend? These look amazing!
Marci — I don’t. I have the OXO one, it is fine, but I wouldn’t recommend buying one unless you really think you’ll use it a lot. I hemmed and hawed before buying mine for a while and end up using it twice a year, so it it hardly worth the space it takes up. But, when I do use it, it’s lovely.
Julie — I haven’t, but I imagine it would work fairly well with a AP-like flour replacement. Most of the structure comes from the egg and potato.
yes yes yes! the idea of gnoochi is so comforting on this rainy day
Beautiful gnocchi! This may just inspire me to finally try them… I have been intimidated, too.
Columbus, Ohio?! Please!? (Tell your publisher that PDub has been here twice! Also, I am sure you will get booked [haha] at the B&N store, which means I have had to WAIT until you get here to even buy your book. Which. Is. Killing. Me! Luckily I will have to soothe my impatience with some gnocchi!)
The gnocci is gorgeous and I was traveling when you were in Cali for your book tour and missed you and wish you had more west coast dates added…plus the weather’s better in San Diego this time of year than many other places!
Deb, can you recommend a gluten-free flour as a substitute for all-purpose?
I will echo Killian–yay, you’re coming to Raleigh!!! Haven’t tried this recipe yet, but it is definitely up my alley so hopefully soon.
Oh, gnocchi, how I love thee! I’ve only tried making pumpkin gnocchi; and I was so worried about over-working the dough that I don’t think I mixed it enough… I can’t wait to try this recipe out and conquer my over-kneading fear! :)
You’re amazing….love that you reply so quickly. We love you!
Yeahhhhhhhh!!! You are coming in Montreal!!!!! So trill to see you!!!!!
BOLOGNA, ITALY. YOU WILL LOVE THIS CITY, it will love you. It is the food capital of Italy, according to Italians. Prosciutto practically hangs from the ceilings of the busses.
I have never commented on your site before, but I’ve been a regular reader for at least a couple years now and just got your cookbook for Christmas! I love it, and have made several recipes already–all of them delicious. Just wanted to say that I’m SO excited you’re making stops in Denver and Salt Lake City, although I no longer live in either of those cities (want to make another stop in Columbus, Ohio?). The King’s English and The Tattered cover are two of my favorite bookstores, and I’ll just have to imagine myself there in late February. Congratulations on your successes, and thank you for making my cooking and reading life so much richer and more fun!!
Lovely Deb,
I lobby for the book tour to be brung across the Atlantic to London! Just today I picked up Marks & Spencers food magazine and they had your book in their recommendations section. Congratulations!
Renee — The book will be out in the UK at the end of February. There is definitely talk about a short stop in London but if we do it, it would likely be over the summer.
Kari — :)
Susan — I’d love to go to Sacramento too!
I know its not at all the traditional way to shape gnocchi, but take all the dough, lightly press it into a large square that’s the appropriate thickness, then cut it with a pizza cutter in a grid pattern. Especially if I decide to make gnocchi on a week night. Takes 30 seconds to cut.
I live in NC and I think I frightened the people at Quail Ridge by calling so quickly.
I love a good gnocchi and this recipe look divine… Yum!!!! I would love it if you could come the Sacramento. It would so much fun to actually meet you and have you sign my book. :-)
Putting in my vote for Florida! Tampa would be best, but I’ll take anywhere in Florida.
COME TO ENGLAND!! Anywhere in England. I will travel to see you.
But preferably Leeds.
:) You can stay at my house and laugh at my ridiculously small kitchen…
xx
I will definitely be making this soon. But in the meantime, I’ll just stand here screaming LONDON!!! COME TO LONDON!
We’d love to have you, and I am sure you’d like us, too. :)
would it work to run the potatoes through the shredding blade on a food processor??
ck — I’m generally wary of using a FP on cooked potatoes because it can break up all those little cells of water and make the final potatoes gluey.
London yes please come?
I can’t tell you the number of kitchens I’ve already seen a smuggled US copy (or two) in over this side of the pond (should I not be saying that as it’ll be your UK publishers footing the bill if you do head over?)…I’m only holding out purchasing in the hope that you’ll come over, and borrowing my friends’ copies in the meanwhile :)
This recipe looks great like all your others. I am “smitten” with both your blog and your cookbook- embarrassingly I spent three hours this past Saturday reading over MANY of your online recipes- your writing is so entertaining too. Thanks!
Paris Paris Paris Paris.
Cheese.
Caramels.
Croissants.
Need I use any other letters of the alphabet? Please do come sign books here!
I was eating this, but with store-bought gnocchi, as I read this post. I might give home-made gnocchi another try, I always ended up with gooey, gluey drops of something, as you said. but my daughter started requesting gnocchi after a recent dinner at a restaurant, so yes, should try to make them. anyway – thanks so much for the recipe!!!
SALTLAKESALTLAKESALTLAKE. Sorry, when I saw that you were coming here the excitement just started welling up inside of me and I couldn’t keep it in.
Now off to plan my gnocchi making to combat our single-digit temps.
I second Columbus, Ohio! I understand it is no Hawaii, but I am certain you have many fans here!
Deb, no juice cleanses here! I just posted the grapefruit olive oil cake last night- and I have to say that these gnocchi were such a standout to me in the book! Glad to see them debut on the www. Oh, and come to Paris, you have a huge following here ;)
Oh, Deb! This is one of my favorite meals from the book! Thanks for sharing :)
Do you think peeling and then boiling the potatoes instead of baking them will change the texture? I find that to be a faster way to cook potatoes when I’m using them for recipes (like soup).
I will definitely try this recipe for gnocchi, which I love and tend to forget about them. Actually, I think the best way to eat gnocchi is with a simple tomato sauce, so this broth should leave them even lighter :)
Yay! I’m so glad you’re coming to Raleigh! I’ve been a longtime reader/recipe tester, and it will be lovely to meet you in person. Thanks!
My first attempt at gnocchi, years ago, was a disaster. You have inspired me to try again. Any reason not to just cook the gnocchi in the broth?
I LOVE Gnocchi and well I’ll try making it this weekend. I’ve always heard how hard it is.
Also? YAY DENVER!
Is there any reason one couldn’t cook the gnocchi directly in the broth?
I made this from the book and loved them! I love the light broth and the gnocchi were the lightest I had ever made thanks to your wonderful instruction.
100 gnocchi and instructions on storing them for the future? My kingdom for a walk-in freezer :) This looks delicious. I can’t wait to try it.
If you could visit New Orleans, I’d be beyond pleased and thrilled. Happier than when I was eating these yummy gnocchi!
I’m so happy you’re coming to Saint Louis!! Both a lunch and a signing! See you soon :)
I am going to make your recipe this weekend! YUM! Can’t wait.
I just received your cookbook last week and made this on Sunday night! It was my first time attempting gnocci and they turned out amazingly well! It was so fun to make something new that I never thought I’d try to make from scratch, so thank you!
I am so EXCITED you’re coming to Raleigh!! I will see you Feb 22!!
YEAH! (Happy dance) You’re coming to Atlanta…. You’ve been my go to blog for recipes for years, & was sooo happy to get your cookbook for Christmas. I was so sad that I didn’t get to see you with the last tour – can’t wait for Feb. 28th!! Try Farmburger while you’re in town if you get the chance… Yummo – my fave new spot. Local ingredients, grassfed beef.
Looks amazing! Love gnocchi and tomatoes.. a bowl of comfort.
LONDON. Can i say that clearly enough. LONDON. Please please please… or i will be forced to come to New York and be the most embarrassed english stalker you can imagine. Stalking and englishness don’t really co-exist nicely.
‘There is definitely talk about a short stop in London’ ? Hurrah! Please say yes, that would be fantastic. Its snowy here in Suffolk today, so gnocchi sounds just the thing. Yum.
Hooray Raleigh-Durham! I got your cookbook for Christmas and have been eyeing the gnocchi recipe since I went through and tabbed all the recipes I want to try. Looking forward to meeting you in February!
Our family learned to make gnocchi from our adopted Italian family and they don’t use any egg (vegan friendly), just the riced potatoes and flour with a pinch of salt. We place the formed gnocchi on cookie sheets and freeze just long enough so they don’t stick together then plunk into boiling water or freeze in bags to use later.
The lack of egg makes the little dumplings light as air.
We did learn to never make gnocchi on a rainy day! The dough will require more flour to not be sticky and this makes them tough.
So, so happy you are coming to Atlanta, thank you, thank you.
I want to make this for my friends at work. Can I make the gnocchi the night before, store them separately and reheat with the broth the next day? Will it effect the gnocchi at all?
Come to London! Go on PLEASE? Like other commenters, I got a US copy shipped over early because seriously, I wasn’t waiting 5 months for it to come out over here…and everyone I know is jealous – both the people who knew your site before and those who didn’t. We’ll come in a posse. And bring tea and probably crumpets.
I could dive directly into that bowl of gnocchi. Looks so delicious. Gnocchi was the first type of homemade “pasta” I ever tried to make. First attempt was disastrous. Now I have the process down :)
Deb…please think about coming to Orlando! I adore everything you create. Beautiful work. Inspiring for this stay at home mom of 3 who loves to cook. Ok…Orlando, FL!
You’re coming to Montreal?! Oh man, you’re in for a treat, food-wise… hope you get to stay a few days and enjoy the amazing food scene!
OMG! your coming to Montreal!!!! So excited!! Def will be there! Look fwd to meeting you! :)
You have conveniently posted this recipe so I can ask a question I previously emailed to you! I made the gnocchi and they were perfect, but when I went to cook the frozen ones again, they seem to fall apart in the water. I tried cooking them less time, but they were still cold in the center. Should I just thaw them before cooking? Any advice is appreciated.
Alice — I am not sure why they fell apart but I’ve cooked them from the freezer many times without problems. Maybe someone else will weigh in with a suggestion? Definitely let us know if you made any recipe changes.
London stop — I just spoke to the book’s UK publicist and she said if any trip, it would probably be at the end of the summer. So, it will probably happen but not for some time! I’ll be there with bells on, though. :)
Diane — The 100 gnocchi will barely fill a gallon freezer bag. I’d suggest using half for this recipe (generously) and freezing half for a future use.
San Diego is nice in March…. Please keep us Westcoasters in mind for book tour III.
This looks so yummy! My family always makes gnocchi for Christmas dinner. We make it using ricotta cheese instead of potatoes, but I would love to try making it with potatoes some time. Thanks!
Received your cookbook from Santa, per request, and have been pouring over it. Deb, well done. It is everything I’d hoped and more. Sheer pleasure! Thank you!
I don’t know that Alaska competes with Hawaii, but I so wish you would add Anchorage, AK to your list of cities to visit. Your cookbook was my very favorite Christmas present this year. After opening it, I sat on the couch and ignored the rest of my presents (and, I’m a little ashamed to admit, my family) for longer than I should have. Love, love, love the book and your website.
Please Please Please come to Indianapolis! Love your site, love your cookbook, can’t wait to try the Gnocchi!
Nooooooo! I am in Ottawa and really wanted to get to your Toronto event but it sold out. I was SO excited to see Montreal on the list this time which is even more convenient but I’ll be out west and will be missing it. DARN IT!
Your cookbook was at the top of my Christmas wishlist and I was so happy to get it. It has been catching my friends’ eyes when they come over as well. I’ve never done this with other cookbooks but I read the whole thing like it was a book. Great job on the cookbook, it did not disappoint Deb!
SO EXCITED you’ll be in st. louis!!! can’t wait to meet you!
Why is Phoenix not on this list? We like food down here! I love you. I want you to meet you. :( Stupid southwest, no one ever comes here. :(
i know this is a far stretch, but Madison, WI is a pretty great culinary city full of delicous restaurants. and a lot of other people who i know that follow your blog religiously (like me!). please stop on by!
I absolutely love this idea of gnocchi in a lighter broth. I don’t know why I haven’t ever done that before! It’s snowy today here in Dallas and all I want to do is curl up with a big bowl of this under a cozy blanket.
My grandfather used to make a variation of this for me when I was sick. It makes me want to curl up on the couch and watch cartoons- complete comfort food!
Looks so good!! Do you think baking the potatoes a day ahead would matter? I have a couple bakers ready in my fridge right now. I was going to cover them with all sorts of unhealthy toppings but this looks perfect for such a cold day.
Come back to Boston, please! We’d love to meet you!!
I’m always wondering what to do with gnocchi – besides the standard brown butter and sage sauce. Love the simplicity of this, Deb!
So excited you’re coming to Salt Lake! And so excited for this gnocchi!
San Diego? Pretty please?
I absolutely love gnocchi.
I like to roll it off the edge of a fork to put ridges (rigati) in it so that it really grabs onto the sauce.
I live in the Cayman Islands and would love to come to a book signing! Books & Books often have people come down, so get it touch with them!!
I’m making a request and/or posing a challenge for you: I had sweet potato gnocchi at a local high-end restaurant that was topped with fresh goat cheese and toasted pecans. It was completely perfect. The gnocchi wasn’t spiced in a noticeable way– just tasted intensely of sweet potatoes. Now, I have attempted many, many times to recreate this dish. You put enough butter, pecans and goat cheese on my homemade gnocchi and it will be OK, but I cannot figure out how to make the sweet potato gnocchi both intensely sweet potato-y and the right texture. Mine are too dense or too floury or too soggy or just blah. (Coincidentally, I find that your sweet potato steaks with goat cheese topping are a nice way to get that fix I’m after when I’m hankering for that dreamy restaurant gnocchi.) So, anyway, since you are a fan of sweet potatoes, as am I, this is my challenge to you (that is, if you entertain challenges, or find this one appealing): 1) make the perfect sweet potato gnocchi, and 2) tell the rest of us how you pulled it off.
I took a short cut (ok just plain lazy) and made just the tomato broth, boiled up some spinach tortellini and added it to the broth. A tossed salad + the tortellini in this absolutely divine broth – dinner done. My 9 year old said “Mom, make this every Sunday night ok? Best Sunday dinner ever”…Deb you’re a genius.
I was given your cookbook for Christmas and I was SO excited. I love how carefully you seem to test everything out in a recipe!
I’ve already made several of them, and my favourite so far is this gnocchi. I never considered making it before and then your instructions seemed so do-able, I couldn’t pass it up.
Myself and my husband LOVED it. Great recipes, great book!
I know it’s a long shot, but come to Detroit! It’s still an hour from me, but I would totally make the drive.
Deb,
I made these!! I too had a phobia of gnocchi thinking they were heavy, but these were amazing. So light and delicious. And leftovers are amazing too. Love your book. Love you. Wish we were neighbors, then we could bake in our pjs and let our toddlers play together! Keep on writing. I love it all.
I just read the new book tour lists and see that you’re coming to NC– yay! The sweet potato gnocchi I mentioned above I had at Piedmont in Durham but if you eat anywhere in the area, I highly recommend Andrea Reusing’s restaurant, Lantern, in Chapel Hill. It is so, so good. You cannot go wrong. I first ate there with my husband on our wedding day. We had an impromptu wedding at the Farmers’ Market, got crepes from the local crepe truck with friends, then had dinner later at the Lantern. I had no idea what the Lantern would be like, but it was a fortuitous start to my marriage, let me say.
I’ve had my eye on this for some time now, I know what is for dinner now : )
Awww, these look perfect. I think I’ll have to cook these tomorrow! My husband (bless his heart) ordered me a signed copy of your book for Christmas. Alas, it still has not arrived here, even though the bookshop said they would mail it on Dec. 17th. :-( I’m suspecting German customs… I bet they opened it and now they are cooking all those delicious recipies and won’t give it up again. Smitten Kitchen seems to be very popular here in Germany now: your blog was featured prominently in a women’s mag article about “foodies”. I think you should definitely come to Germany and in my own interest suggest the exciting City of BERLIN for a reading.
These have been on the “to make” list on my fridge for a few weeks now. Tonight might be the night… Also, Atlanta, holla! I can’t wait.
Gasp! You are coming to Montreal!!!!!!!! I just squealed very very loudly at work. But I’m calm now. I’M OK. You are THE reason I went from being unable to cook anything (literally) but Kraft Dinner when I moved out on my own, to someone who actually finally enjoys trying new recipes and isn’t afraid. Your recipes are so clear and you’re voice is so relateable, I always feel like you’re by my side cheering me on. Thank you thank thank you for being such a great inspiration. (Also, my boyfriend thanks you as well…..because he is no longer the soul cook in our household ;)
This looks great, I might try it this weekend in fact. Quick question though, is there a reason to cook the gnocchi is a separate pot of water? Could you theoretically just bring the broth back to temp and cook them in that, giving them a bit more flavor? Thanks.
Woohoo – Raleigh made the list!! I’ve loved everything I’ve ever tried from your site and I look for your cookbook every time I’m in a bookstore. Just like seeing it on the shelf. Looking forward to February :-)
Who do we need to bribe to get Ann Arbor on the list??
Loud sigh…..you are not coming to Baltimore. Please come!!!! Will make these this weekend. I’m so in love with the butternut squash galette, grilled emmenthaler, onion & cheese sandwich and oh the rosemary & gruyere crisps…..I’m working my way through your book.
oh! Here I am lobbying loudly for you to come to Hawaii! It would just be the greatest day ever. Also, um, it’s warm and nice here. Please come visit.
I moved to Vienna recently, but had your book sent to me as soon as it was released, so I got it just a few weeks late. I have loved all of the recipes I have tried so far and I am moving this gnocchi to a weekend dinner list.
Ararart, thanks for the vegan tip! Would love to know egg free works for sweet poptato, squash etc too. Anyone tried?
Deb, I’ve discovered your blog a few months back and just baked your flower cupcakes yesterday (brought ’em into work today and everyone’s happy!). I really enjoy reading along and to try out your recipes. And I’m glad you are so successful with your cook book! It’s on my list and my Birthday is not too far down the road ;-), so I’m looking forward to it.
My Question now: This recipe looks so delicious, I might try it right away tonight. I was wondering if I could boil the potatoes, skin them, and then run them through the ricer – or do they have to be baked for the Gnocchi?
Thanks!
Oh, good! Finally something out of the ordinary that is new to me, to make! I must have been distracted by another recipe (those cheese and onion spiral breakfast buns…yum!) and skipped right over it in your book. I’ve eyed gnocchi in the stores but couldn’t bring myself to buy them because I didn’t want to take the chance that they’d disappoint enough that I’d never try them, let alone make them. Plus, this recipe reminds me of the dough I make for lefse, a Norwiegen flat bread, that I make every year for the holidays. I’ve always wondered if a variation of that dough had another use. Seems it might! You are such an adventurer! Speaking of which, if you go to Sacramento, you might as well pop over to San Jose, too! It was so rainy and icky when you were in S Cruz that I was too intimidated to drive the Santa Cruz mountains to go meet you. Am a traffic coward.
See you in Raleigh!!! So excited! I didn’t get your book for Christmas (got Dorie Greenspan’s Baking from Husband, so I’m not too bummed) but now I totally have an excuse to buy it for myself. Yay!
Yeah!! So excited you are coming to St. Louis!! I can’t wait to reserve my tickets next week when they are available.
From a former New Yorker- so glad you’re coming to Denver!!! Looking forward to seeing you at the Tattered Cover. Want to come over for dinner?
Please come to Wellington, New Zealand! It’s the coffee capital of the country, and there are many Smitten obsessers here. But they’re all friendly and sane people, I promise. If a little highly strung about food, and dying to meet you. Please come to Wellington! You won’t regret it. (P.S. Is this what you meant by lobbying? Or is there elsewhere I should post an obsessive message?)
I’m such an hardcore gnocchi fan: potatoes, sweet potatoes, beets, pumpkin. I make them with almost any vegetables I can get my hands on.
That’s why when I first saw this recipe in your Cookbook, I was so excited and made it right away. And it came out great, of course!
However, if I may, when it comes to gnocchi I believe that adding the egg is a mistake.
One of the most renowned Italian chefs, Mr Carlo Cracco, explains in one of his cookbooks how gnocchi should melt in your mouth, and never chewed with your teeth. He says that to achieve that perfect texture only potatoes and flour should be used in the gnocchi, the egg will harden during the cooking process and render them chewy.
I struggled at first, but now that I got a hang of the process, I have to say that he’s right. Without the egg, gnocchi are even more awesome.
If you’re interested I could send you the recipe!
Speaking of Morocco…that’s where I live, and would LOVE to have a Smitten Kitchen book tour stop here. Seriously, it would be amazing, and I would volunteer to show you around! There’s a pretty big expat community in Rabat, and a great English language bookstore….think about it!
Drat! Dallas missed the cut again. But that’s OK, sniff, sniff. Really, we”ll be fine. Waaaaaaaaa.
I mage gnocchi only once, but it was one week ago and I can still remember how tasty it was. I need to try it your way as I love your recipes.
One of the first things I made from the book, and drat my hide I can’t ever follow a recipe w/o making changes!
We’re a big family–8!– and I couldn’t bear to “waste”, so I purreed the veggies in the broth and then (because my hubby doesn’t like the acidity of tomatoes) added some cream. It was divine; I had tears in my eyes.
Followed the directions for the gnocchi exactly, and they were a.m.a.z.i.n.g. Gnocchi for 8 is an undertaking! But I will gladly do it again. and again. and again.
This is my first time commenting, but I have followed your blog for three years and my roommates and I are such fans! We refer to you as “Deb” as though you’re a friend of ours haha. Seriously – so much love.
Cannot wait to try this gnocchi, and to keep working through all the wonderful recipes in your book.
Also, it would be wonderful if you would add another midwest date to your tour! We love you out here! Michigan is definitely a food-loving & foodie state… Ann Arbor would be amazing, but I will travel distances to see you! xx
Yes, Minneapolis!
Yahoooo! Denver Shoots, Denver Scores! I’ll be there at 6:29 waiting for my crowd control ticket! Can’t wait!
The first time I made gnocchi, I used advice from one of your earlier gnocchi posts – I was so excited you can make it with a box grater! This sounds delightful, I love the idea of tomato broth instead of a thick sauce.
AUSTRALIA!! Please please please please? Have cooked almost half the cookbook recipes so far, all are brilliant!
Would it be possible to leave the skin on and then grate/rice/blend them and make the gnocchi with the skin in them? Or would they be too heavy? Suggestions?
Thanks so much! And I love your book! The big-clump granola trick is genius.
Yay! Minneapolis is on your list of stops! I’m a long time follower, and have had some enthusiastic responses to recipes made from this site.
Thank you so much for coming to Denver! I was so disappointed when I couldn’t come see you the first time around. Really looking forward to it!
Yay! You’re coming to Minnesota! Happy Dance here!
I am sad. I am sad because I just discovered you, and apparently you have already been to my town, nay, my backyard, one block from my house in fact, in Boston. Come back!
YAY!! Minneapolis!
I am SO excited that you’re coming to Atlanta! And it is extremely fitting that you’ll be at Manuel’s Tavern – it’s an institution. I can’t wait to shake your hand!
Perhaps after your MN stop you could stop over in Milwaukee!?!
Je suis tellement heureuse que tu viens a Montreal! Since you will be on Victoria St. may I suggest that you check out Marche Vic for a quick lunch? They make a fabulous chicken sandwich and the most amazing brownies (esp. for a brownie afficionado such as yourself).
This looks fantastic…dinner tomorrow for sure! Thanks for the inspiration.
And please consider visiting Portland Maine. We are a great foodie town with a wonderful cookbook store (Rabelais) in nearby Biddford.
I’m glad you are coming to DENVER!!!
Deb! Come to Toronto! Puh-leze?
Did you say you would like to come to the Caribbean? It would be great to have you come to Grand Cayman! We have a bookstore here called Books and Books that has authors down regularly to promote their books. Come visit!!
Hooray for Salt Lake City! I’ve been making your gnocchi recipe for about 5 years now, and I can’t wait to try them in tomato broth.
Deb!!!! You’re coming to Minneapolis??! I’m thrilled! You’ll love it/us:0) Can’t wait to see you at the start of March. Hurray. Oh, and also I love gnocchi, so am looking forward to trying this recipe. Thanks!
What do I need to promise to bake to get you to come to Dallas?
Now I have to try my very best to convince my family and two little ones that I need to be in Montreal on February 9th! Though these gnocchi might do the trick. To be honest, it was one of the few recipes that I flipped past in the book, intimidated by the prospect, but you’ve convinced me to give it a go. So glad you’re coming back to Canada and hope to meet you! Bring Jacob! My eldest is 4 and will keep him happy :)
You don’t know how happy I am that you are coming to Salt Lake! I literally threw my arms up and let out an involuntary girly squeal when I read that. You will definitely be seeing me there! Kind of bummed I might have to buy another book from the store for you to sign it, but who cares. You’re still coming!!
I had the chance to make this Sunday night when I had about 25 people over for an all-hands-on-deck feast. It was SO fun having a kitchen full of friends making homemade gnocchi and handmade pasta and pizzas out the wazoo. SO fun – except for the fact that it took two days to clean up my kitchen afterwards. Anyway… great recipe. Thank you so much!!
I made this one a few weekends ago, & it was dreamy. Who knew gnocchi could be so easy? I even found hard ricotta that I then shredded over the dish, and it was so, so, SO good! And I’m so excited I’ll be able to see you in Mpls. Hope you’re ready for snow because March is usually our snowiest month…
Ah, YES!!!! You are coming to St. Louis! I’ll be there! Can hardly wait. Now, I wish my son was not off in graduate school as he is the one who got me into reading your blog…See you in March!
I am so jealous you are not coming to Texas on your book tour!! I think you seriously need to make a trip here to the Lone Star state!
Has anyone tried to make this gluten-free?
Victoria, BC
One of the top food cities in Canada!
Gnocchi needs its own level on the food pyramid!
I in fact decided to make these when I was standing in line waiting for you to sign my book in Los Angeles – thanks for reminding me – this is my Saturday night dinner project sorted for next week!
I LOVE Gnocchi! I have to try this recipe soon!
Sorry, I just got completely distracted by that note about the Daily Show (coming!). WHAT?? Really? Oh, man!
I am going to try these without wheat flour and will post results here when I find something that works!
Up here in the the 53rd latitude of Canada, I can tell you Deb, that your recipes bring a degree of sophistication to both my home and my workplace. I just missed your book tour in NYC (yes, we were there during Super Storm Sandy), so I’ll say here that I LOVE your book. I just made your butternut squash and carmelized onion galette on the weekend and I almost cried it was so good. And mine looked exactly like the picture of yours! Fontina cheese is $7.00 for 3 oz. here, so I substituted Emmentaler instead. Swoon. Many thanks Deb for a great book.
mmm… this looks absolutely delightful!
A couple of other people have asked about cooking the gnocchi directly in the broth. Is there a good reason not to? Also, I love veggies, is there a reason not to puree the veggies into the broth rather than straining them out?
Em from Oz is on the right track. Australia! Australia! Australia!
We love you down here!
This does look like the perfect meal to wean you away from holiday gluttony. So comforting and yet controlable. Love the delicious flavors in this dish and the simplicity given your detailed instructions. Very elegant indeed!
Deb, come to Stockholm! Or anywhere in Europe really, It’d be a great excuse for a mini break to come and see you.
Someone above commented about gnocchi from the freezer not holding together well, and I’ve had similar experiences every time I’ve tried cooking home made gnocchi from frozen. To remedy the situation I’ve taken to panfrying the frozen gnocchi, from frozen, in a little olive oil or butter, then drizzling a little sauce over the top. They hold together perfectly and remain soft and fluffy inside while delightfully crisp on the outside.
Also, can you think of any use for the vegetable strained from the tomato broth? Would they serve to thicken a tomato soup or something? I hate to throw food away.
DEB DEB DEB pleeeeeeeeeease change the Montreal date to anything BUT a saturday the one day a week I’m unavailable!!! I cannot believe you’ll come to Montreal and I won’t see you I love your site your an inspiration!
Gnocchi. Love them. Attempted them once was a total disaster it took a ton of flour to get the potatoes to form a dough. My family refused to ever let me make it again.
But last time I boiled the potatoes, not baked. So I hope that makes a difference cuz I really really wanna attempt these. I love tomato soup.
Lobbying hard for you to come to SANA’A, YEMEN! UNESCO heritage site, wonderful weather, exciting new cuisine and full of Smitten Kitchen fans. How can you resist??? (:
Melbourne, Australia!
I’m lobbying loud, it’s the distance that makes it seem quiet.
You’ll love it here.
Christchurch, New Zealand. We’re having a great summer!
The reason Italian food has stayed ‘Italian’, and thus has endured for a few generations, and continues to retain a world-wide appeal, has to do with historical and cultural elements, as well as a question of ingredients and taste. It has a structure that is amenable to variation … but not so much variation that it would change beyond recognition. Hats off to you for not even wanting to tone down your hubris in the following comment: “It’s not my thing; I think such preparations wreck the delicacy that’s at the heart of perfect gnocchi, which is featherlight, dumpling-like and best appreciated in a puddle of intensely flavored broth”. So … all Italians are idiots for liking their gnocchi the way they always have? To an Italian mind and palate, the intensely flavored broth would ruin the gnocchi — and not the other way round ! and by the way butter IS good for our health (in reasonable doses of course).
Gnocchi is one of those things that is ALWAYS better home made and you really don’t need a potato ricer for it. The tomato broth with yours looks amazing.
Well, if you’re asking so nicely, there you go:
Will you please come to Paris??? Pretty pretty please???? We would love to have you! And as Camille mentioned (comment #20), if we’re counting votes, I’ll get the boy to comment. And my friend E. And my friend D. And my friend C. And my whole family who is not even in Paris, but who cares, I’ll do whatever it takes. For me. Ahem, us. ;)
I’m so so excited for you!!! The book is wonderful and, I think I might be the only one, but I refuse to finish it! I’ve been reading it slowly, trying to savor every single recipe, every single word, every single picture!
Oh, and because I owe you an update, the tiny but intense chocolate cake was sooooo good! Probably the best “birthday cake for two” I’ve ever made! Plus, it freezes wonderfully, if needed :) Thanks for helping me make my birthday even more special this year!
Eliza
My first recipe from your cookbook … come to Honolulu! :)
BERGEN, NORWAY!!! Please come to Bergen! You have a fan club over here, we hold SK themed dinners where all food prepared comes from your blog/book :) Plus, I’m just really jealous that my best friend and her sister got to meet you at the Seattle booksigning (they were the ones who had you write “Want to be my bff? Check yes or no”)
Sooooo tell whoever it is who is in charge of your book tours that you need to do a Euro version stat!
I come from Italy and everyone I know puts lots of nutmeg in the gnocchi dough. I swear by it, they are friggin’ good, can-eat-them-plain-good
Yummm! That’s how I go whenever I have gnocchi for lunch or dinner or whatever. Your pics look so tempting!
On the other side of the other pond, I can’t wait for the mailman to ring and deliver your book in Melbourne. I love your site and have been trying so many recipes. I still have to find one that doesn’t turn out perfect and immediately becomes a favorite among my friends. I have a friend who tries to talk me into making him one of your cakes every time I see him, and that’s at least once a week ;) Thank you so much Deb for your inspiration and your wonderful blog!
I know it’s far away, but why not come to Melbourne! It’s summer and the BBQ’s are in full swing! Doesn’t that sound tempting? I’m pretty sure that we would get together a fan club here too.
J’insiste! Loudly! You must come to Paris!
My daughter bought me your cookbook with her Christmas money because she’s awesome but mostly because she loves your recipes :-). Hope you’ll come sign it.
It’s around 6 am. I’m actually going to get up and try this; what better way to use up the last few carrot sticks. Per cookbook tour: Burlington,VT?
First, congratulations on the book! I look forward to taking a closer look (ie upcoming birthday gift to me!). I very much love your blog and have tried some of the recipes, with the intention to try many more when time permits!
Second, as a photographer (amateur, but getting better!), I absolutely love the pictures of your food. I apologize if you have answered this somewhere before but do you take the pictures? Or do you now have a pro who does it.
The photos are beautiful!!
Thanks and Happy 2013!
Dublin or Edinburgh on the cards?!
Raleigh – Durham? So close to Charlotte… so close… but, then again, not so close with 3 kiddos in the car-wade through well-deserved pandemonium – drive home. Phooey.
European book tour!
European book tour!
European book tour!
C’mon, you know you want to :)
I’ve seen requests for London, Paris and Berlin here, and I would be happy to travel to any of those cities in a heartbeat if it means I get to meet you and tell you how wonderful you are. But can I also put in a request for quaint and beautiful ZÜRICH, where I live? There’s a good expat community here, not to mention some of the best cheese & chocolate in the world! Oh, and those little hills called the Alps ;)
Lovely gnocchi, just finished lunch but this got me hungry again!
Any thoughts on how to make these with sweet potatoes?
Diana — It might be tasty. You might need slightly more flour as sweet potatoes are more moist. Would love to hear how it goes if you try it.
Laurie — Thanks. I take all my own pictures and I don’t really have any technique besides using natural light and trying to take sharp photos. I didn’t know a thing about photography when I started; it’s all about practice.
Dana — I went to both Austin and Houston in the fall. I’m sorry we missed each other!
elmel — Sorry for the confusion. The grating is actually to make the potatoes fall apart, not so that you can have strands. It’s a great alternative for people who do not want to buy a potato ricer or food mill. I can add more notes for the future.
Angela — I was in Toronoto in November. I’m sorry we missed each other!
Not Pittsboro!! PittsBURGH!! c’mon Deb! Maybe Pittsburgh for book tour III? :)
Come to Paris!! My friends (and boyfriend) all know about you because let’s face it, almost everything I cook is from your website! Your other fans (above) and I promise to make it worth your while, as if you would need any convincing to come to the best city in the world :)
Suuuper jealous you will be in Raleigh and Atlanta, just months after I moved away from the Southeast! Feel free to make it to Northwest Arkansas sometime. Fayetteville is a great city!
Deb/Alice – That happened to me with the mashed potatoes in shepherd´s pie when I froze it. So maybe the gnocchi didn´t have enough flour compared to the amount of potatoes.
Can I make a vote for a stop in Detroit?! (Ok, ok, how about Ann Arbor? – there are delights awaiting you, especially the renowned http://www.zingermansbakehouse.com)!
Wow Deb! As I get busy planning and prepping for my own book release, your amazing success in sharing all this realness from your kitchen- and having it all so well and widely received is paving the way and opening doors for all of us who come after. Huge congratulations on book tour part 2- and of course for making gnocchi so easy and awesome.
I’ll try to poach the gnocchi directly in the (tomato) broth; presumably would somewhat thicken any broth automatically?
Lucky to have snatched a seat to your recent Toronto appearance/book signing; you’ll be needing football stadiums for your next tour!
Yay, so excited you are coming to Minneapolis! It’s on my calendar :)
Beautiful and delicious! Gnocchi gets a bad rep for being heavy and gut-inducing, but when done well, they are light, pillow-y fluffy goodness.
In an effort to reduce kitchen waste, is there anything you’d recommend using the strained tomatoes for? Marinara sauce, perhaps?
Deb, you will have so much fun in Montréal!!! Hopefully the weather will cooperate. If you have time, please go to Olive et Gourmando in Old Montréal for breakfast. The coffee is fabulous, the food (granola, yogourt, croissants, scones, and many other yummy things) is honest and fun and Diane Solomon, the co-owner who works in the front of the house, is a blast. Beware though, the place fills up fast and there is a line-up at the door on Saturday mornings. I think they are closed on Sundays.
Yay! You’re making a Montreal stop!
Thank you! This looks delicious :)
How do you think these will fare with an egg substitute, like flax seed, or some other sub? I’d really like to try these!!!
Wow, this looks good. I’ve also always been intimidated by gnocchi but now maybe I’ll give it a go. Please put Baltimore on your next tour!!!
my brother bought me your book on import for xmas. so come to the UK so you can sign it please!!!
DENVER! Hooray – I’m so glad you are coming here! Can’t wait.
I love the flavors in your tomato broth. It’s so heartwarming. I’ve never made gnocchi before, but now your recipe is boosting my confidence. I’m bookmarking this recipe and will try soon. It’s perfect for the cold winter days. Thanks for sharing, Deb! Must get your book soon, too – it’s on my ‘wish list’. All the best :-)
I’m dying to make this tonight but don’t have a box grater or potato ricer. To avoid buying one…would mashing the potatoes totally ruin the gnocchi? Or is there another alternative to use? This looks absolutely DELICIOUS!
Alas, no Charlotte – and neither work nor babies will permit and excursion to Raleigh! But loving your book and your site nevertheless!
Thanks for the link to QVC for your appearance with David. It was so much fun to watch him eat your delicious food from your cookbook. And thanks for today’s recipe. My son just LOVES gnocchi.
This recipe is superb, thank you. Enjoying the book.
I am soooo excited to see you in Brooklyn next month! With the cookie exchange, I’m pretty sure I will be making something from the book :)
I think you should add Memphis to your book tour list. We’re not just barbecue, you know. :) But we do have plenty of that, if that’s what you’re looking for!
SALT LAKE CITY! Holy Moses! And at my favorite bookstore ever. Make a reservation at Pago or Forage or Finca.
nooooooo! Still no New Orleans! D:
Please Please Please come to Honolulu. We’d love to share our Aloha with you.
If you’re going to be in Atlanta, you REALLY should swing up to Asheville, NC!!!!!
Deb – what are your thoughts about cooking the potatoes in the microwave? Would this alter the taste or texture of the potatoes as they are used in this recipe?
I tend to poke holes in the potatoes with a fork and nuke ’em for 8-10 minutes, it’s so much quicker!
Hilary — I don’t have a microwave (not out of sanctimony, but lack of space) so I haven’t tried it. But I think you’d be just fine.
Yesssssssss.. Asheville is gooood!
Adding potatoes to the grocery list this week… and going to try my hand at another food from scratch!
Miami??? We’re hip …… & warm! Please?
Tender gnocchi in vibrant tomato broth just might be the perfect comfort food for this rainy cold day.
Thanks,
~Caroline
Yay! You’re coming to Denver! I’ll be there!
I made this when I got the book and it was delicious! You gave me the confidence to make my first gnocchi and they came out perfectly. Great recipe!
London! Paris! Stuttgart! (OK, a girl can dream). Anywhere in Europe, truly!
You are so right! Very often these tasty little morsels are laden with a heavy cream and butter sauce. They look delish! And yay! for Raleigh! I’ll be seeing you at Quail Ridge next month!
I have yet to make gnocchi. After seeing your post you have inspired. I intend to make it next week for my pasta loving family.
Perfect combo of comfort and sass…
love it!
This looks great! I’d never considered making my own gnocchi before. Thanks for the inspiration.
I’m going to put in another request for Columbus, Ohio. Or somewhere in Ohio. There’s lots of us smitten kitchen fans here in flyover country. Plus you’d be able to visit Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams in person!
Making this tonight! I love the cookbook. Come to San Diego :)
You’re coming to Minneapolis! I’ll have to get moving on my book decluttering project so I can justify bringing another cookbook home!
I’ve never been successful making gnocchi, or any little dumpling, and so will definitely try this recipe.
And if it doesn’t work, I’ll ask you about it on Feb 26th when you are in Salt Lake City! I’m so happy you are coming here. Hopefully my copy won’t be too splattered for an autograph.
Oooooh!!! Deb is coming to Denver! Tattered Cover is a great bookstore. I’ll see how many of my cook friends I can bring along. Can’t wait! …Will try to be brave and make the gnocchi. Done well, gnocchi is wonderful. I’ve yet to have success preparing it myself. See you next month!
This was on my list of dishes to make this week before you posted it! Clearly it is the perfect dish for this time of year. I just finished making them and they were delicious! Find time making gnocchi and it just may get added to the list of things I never order out (along with pancakes and spaghetti and meatballs). Served it with a fresh dollop of ricotta and found it divine. My potatoes were a lot smaller so I am not sure if the finally tally put me quite at two pounds. I added the flour exactly as you instructed and did not need the extra 1/4 C so I am very glad I followed your guidelines. Congrats again on your success, I love your blog and cookbook!
I love gnocchi. Delicious.
Deb, about them falling apart when cooking them from the freezer, I made the recipe from the book and added the right amount of flour to one half and about 2/3 of the least amount specified in your recipe to the other. Then froze them in different trays. The ones with less flour began to fall apart, though they appeared to have a good consistency. The others were intact and very good!
So what doesn´t freeze well are the mashed potatoes unless they have enough flour. I used a scale. As you can see, I became a bit obsessed as to what had happened given that I freeze gnocchi all the time.
Bought 2 as gifts. San Francisco?
Oh how I love Gnocchi. This looks divine.
I can not tell you how excited I am to try this recipe. Gnocchi has always intimidated me and seemed out of reach of my very inexperienced/impatient skills, but this looks like something even I can handle. Going on the list for next week! Also, I totally second the Memphis request. These don’t really compare to Honolulu but we have a pyramid! And really good barbeque! Oo! Also National Geographic named us as one of the top 20 cities to visit in 2013. That has gotta be a sign.
I think you’d love a book signing in Columbus too! Although my family now lives in Chicago, we are from Columbus and miss some of its local offerings often. It’s a lovely culinary city, and you have many fans there (as in other places).
It’s a feasible drive and relatively central to Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, Louisville, Cincinnati, Cleveland…just to make a case for your publisher. :) The Book Loft in German Village would be a great spot for a summer book signing.
Thanks for sharing your great recipes with your many loyal fans. Hope the second leg of the book tour is an enjoyable one!
Well – Deb – I can’t believe you left out Australia in that list when in our family alone you have several fans – all have your book – and others too who we have directed to your site and subsequently also bought your book. Our daughter in New York did get to meet you, so – you know – six degrees of separation or should that be two?
Best wishes for 2013 – we all enjoy visiting your site and cooking from your book.
Has anyone tried to microwave instead of bake? I live in Taiwan where ovens are more of a novelty…
You know where is really nice at this time of year? Australia. I’m just sayin’. (Although in all honesty, it will probably be nicer in a few months when it’s not so sweltering!). Come see if kangaroos really do hop down the streets! Come see the Opera House, and the Barrier Reef, and CANBERRA (hint hint). Hear us say ‘healthy’ instead of ‘healthful’, and ‘acclimatise’ instead of ‘acclimate’. Oprah did it, Ellen’s doing it and I’m pretty sure you should get on down here too. Especially if the publisher will pay for it…
I got your cookbook for Christmas and just made this yesterday. It was so yummy! I was so excited when my first homemade gnocchi ever turned out great using your recipe! My kids (8 and 4) loved it as did my husband and I. Then I laughed when I came on your blog and there it was!
I love love love this recipe! I’m Italian and this should be enough to explain why I got crazy when I saw that this recipe was inspired by my country. Plus, handmade pasta is amazing and gnocchi in particular, with their soft yet chewy consistence!
I’ve never tried them in tomato broth but I’ll fix this soon!
xo, Elisa
Japan. Do Japan. People here are obsessed with food, the taste of food,
the presentation of food, talking about food, reminiscing about the food they just ate. And while you are here, you can also eat some pretty darned good food too ;)
Martine
Nobeoka, Japan ( = in the middle of nowhere, Japan)
I haven’t made gnocchi in years, but this reminds me of my favorite TV chef from back in the day–Biba–remember her? I think the show “Biba’s Italian Kitchen” was on PBS or maybe the early incarnation of TLC. Very similar recipe for gnocchi, but of course served with sage butter (delish). She would use one finger to roll each gnocchi up the back of a fork, so one side had a round indentation and the other side had the lines. Cute and actually quite fun, although I’m not one for fussy repetitive tasks either.
I made the gnocchi recipe last night and it is divine! It’s also easy. Who knew??Everyone should make it RIGHT NOW! Thanks, Deb.
We LOVE gnocci, bc it is :”pasta” but made with gf flour it is safe for my gf littles. I can’t wait to try this recipe!
Sooooooo excited you are coming to Atlanta;; you are in my day planner in PEN; looking forward to meeting you then.
I made gnocchi years ago with disastrous results. Your post has inspired me to try again! I love the idea of serving them in a light tomato broth instead of a heavy sauce. Thanks for the inspiration.
Deb – just wanted to thank you. My middle child is my foodie kid, and she loves to play in the kitchen. She received her very first cookbook for xmas this year – yours! (Along with a bunch of other kitchen stuff and some of every spice and herb I own!)
When I told her that you were coming to Quail Ridge, she tweaked. She wants to come up from Wilmington, where she’s in college, just to meet you. So thank you for inspiring not just me, but also my daughter to have some more fun in the kitchen!
This is pretty amazing. It doesn’t take a lot of convincing for me to eat gnocchi any time of year but I will this version certainly comes without the guilt.
Looks great! I’ve got another pseudo-healthy gnocci idea that might tempt you. When I was in Paris recently, I went to a restaurant called DIPS, where everything was served with (can you guess) a dip. You choose your entree and and accompanying dip. They recommended a fluffy dijon sauce (okay maybe not so healthy). The combo was amazing. Just a thought…
Oh please do come to Hawaii! Oahu in particular! We’ve got sunshine, cocktails, and beaches galore – even in February. How can you resist?
Just wanted to let you know how much I adore your cookbook. I’ve made about a dozen recipes already, including this one for gnocchi and tomato broth. I had made gnocchi before and it was a complete disaster – this was *divine*, so easy to roll and cut, I couldn’t believe it. I only used a cup of flour. It had the perfect texture. We made it at Christmastime when everyone was sick to death of rich food. It was so light and delightful. The broth is very flavorful.
This looks REALLY good. I gotta try this.
I made this last night, but with one twist: I did not strain the vegetables from the broth, and instead pureed the whole mixture into a sauce. It was very flavorful and still light, but it seemed a bit more healthy to include all of those great veggies. It was delicious! I’ve never made gnocchi before, but this was very easy. The perfect meal for a cold, dark winter evening!
It’s me again :D I might be getting a little annoying, sorry about that.. but I just read an article in a german fashion magazine about food blogs where you were said to be “the mother of all foodies” and the one who started the whole food blog trend :)
You might already know about the article, but I was still excited to read it and wanted to share.
looks simple yet refreshing! i will have to try this!
I love the idea of gnocchi in a broth. YUM! I always use my Nana’s recipe (because it is so simple). Happens that her’s is exactly what is here. :-) I guess when its good its good!
These are one of the recipes I’ve tried from your cook book so far… and they are so so sooo yummy! We’re heading up to Tahoe this weekend with a huge group of people, and I am already slated to make these the first night!!
how do you think this would be, if instead of straining the “broth” I first immersion blended it? I hate the idea of just throwing out any more of the veggie goodness than necessary.
It could be strained then after that – and I suppose to try keeping it a bit lighter, maybe only immersion blend it part way (ie, stop when it is still a touch chunky)?
What thinkst thou?
;-)
I’ve had some potatoes “staring” at me, now I know why…gnocchi is calling! Got your book for Christmas (in the midst of down-sizing, I requested yet another book! Seriously, who could resist?) and breezed right past this recipe…email to the rescue.
This looks fantastic. I really want to try gnocchi at home! There is a great chef in our town in Oregon who recently posted a blog about making gnocchi. It has some tips on the ratio of potato and flour, depending on the moisture in the potatoes, which sound helpful. His recipes look yummy too. Thought I’d share:
http://blog.riversidehoodriver.com/
ummm … ok so I tried the immersion blending thing …
wow – first, this broth is so powerfully packed with flavor, it is simply amazing! I was able to blend out most of the big chunks, and then in pressing it through the sieve I ended up with about 2 cups maybe of veggie solids.
The resulting broth (partly because I dropped a couple spoonfuls of solids into it, too …) is maybe a bit more soupy than what it would have been otherwise, but the color is still fantastic, and it is very light.
Love this – can’t wait to try it with the gnocchi tonight!
(ps – I put the remaining veggie solids into the fridge, because I think I’m going to add it to the Marcella Hazan simple tomato sauce that I’m going to make on Saturday. Woo hoo, no wastage!)
thanx again for the kick-but recipe!
PPS – oh, and Paige – yep that recipe from riverside … looks fantastic, too!
oh man do these look great.
i tried to make gnocchi once.. they were so bad that i tossed the whole thing and ordered chinese food. i made them again when i was in italy in a cooking class and my teacher said to use old potatoes to get the best texture (like with sprouts, when they start to get ugly). have you ever tried this?
This looks delicious! My husband is a huge gnocchi fan and in fact makes it his mission to try them whenever they are the menu. He thinks his divine stamp of approval means a lot apparently =) I will have to give this a try!
I’ve never made gnocchi before but I’d love to try. Due to religious dietary restrictions, I can’t use the white wine for the broth. is there any substitutions I can use instead?
I saw your book at Anthropologie the other day and was so excited!
I just have to say that within a week of receiving your cookbook, I’d made over 9 recipes from it. This is one of them that made me say, “Wow, this chick KNOWS what she’s doing.” They have all been beyond perfect, to a shocking degree. Even simple this simple tomato broth was just absolutely spot on.
I will say that I had trouble with the gnocchi, I had to add nearly 50% as much flour as the recipe called for, but it turned out well and the broth was stunning. I am inspired. =]
YAY MINNEAPOLIS!!!! I am so excited you are coming to MN! Bring a warm coat….I know it is March, but you never know. :) I called to get more info, and was told, “You may want to get here early…I hear the Author’s fans are a little..excitable.” What? Excitement in Minnesota? Ya, you betcha!!
Did you know the Guardian referenced your home fries in their food section recently? Maybe you should tour the UK! The best gnocci I ever had was at Jamie Oliver’s 15 restaurant in London. A taste test seems to be in order.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2013/jan/17/how-to-cook-perfect-sauteed-potatoes
I’ve been stalking your site for awhile, and have recently started cooking from the posts. Y. U. M. I saw this recipe at 5:30 last night, and we were eating feather light gnocci in the most intense broth by 7:45. It’s not the first time i’ve made these (my Italian grandmother taught me to cook them years ago), but it is the first time i’ve had a food mill, and it makes a big difference. I did up the gnocci and broth yields by 50%, and used 2 cans of diced tomatoes and one of plain sauce. Also, I hate to see veggies get strained out, so i ran the soup through the fine setting on the food mill (hey, i already had it out, right?). It produced an intensely red, flavorful soup that was still in the broth family of liquidity. The gnocci i froze overnight to eat with the leftover soup, however, did turn to mush when cooked, like Alice’s. I think a higher percentage of flour (i used the bare minimum) and maybe extra egg would have helped that. So, so happy to have this in the winter cooking arsenal! Thanks!
@ Juie re, gluten-free gnocchi – here’s a great recipe, super simple: http://blog.ideasinfood.com/ideas_in_food/2013/01/janauary-3-2012.html
This is a blog for pro-chefs but many of their recipes are simple enough if you have a kitchen scale. Enjoy!
Just read part of my “Eating Well” magazine and your book has an ad! I was so excited and proud of you. Thanks for sharing your talent with us.
Just wanted to say that I recently discovered this website and find the photos and writing to be absolutely fabulous. I like the concentration on the home cook and insight on keys to make the dish better than normal. Wish you continued success.
Won’t you come to London to tie in with the UK edition of your book coming out in February (available for pre order on Amazon now but with a different cover – WHAT??). It would be great to see you on the European side of the pond…
We made this last night and just chopped the vegetables a bit finer than suggested and left them in the mix (couldn’t bare to get rid of such a good thing!). It was delicious and now we have tons of frozen gnocchi. Thanks for posting a blending-free recipe, Deb!
A dedicated travel junkie, I am dreaming of going to all the other places suggested by posters. A dedicated SK reader, I am mourning the fact that I can’t think of any reason why you’d come to Cleveland, Ohio instead. So I’ll bury myself in the pages of my new cookbook and think of ways to convince my (road trip-hating) husband to take me to Columbus when you stop there?? (Come on Cleveland-lovers, are you out there? Convince Deb! Or at least rally the Columbus readers!)
Hmmmm, I saw you in Boston, and in the past month I moved from Beantown to Minneapolis. If I go to the Twin Cities event would that make me a groupie? ;)
Krista — No. It would make you awesome! (Well, you probably already are.)
Kori — You can just skip the wine.
Hmmm, are you channeling Mario now??? It does look good. Tata!
I love your cookbook! My husband surprised me with it for Christmas and I cannot stop looking at it.
This recipe is brilliant; It’s incredibly delicious and easy.
Do come closer to Arkansas with your tour!
I wonder if you will have a dedicated space for cookbook recipe comments, or are you interested in how your recipes turn out? I made the sesame spiced turkey meatballs and smashed chickpea salad and found that if I made the meatballs smaller and just put the meatballs on an oiled sheet pan and baked them at 400 degrees, they browned up nicely and were cooked in about half an hour. I did pour off liquid about half way through the baking. I hate cooking meatballs in a skillet and turning them (especially delicate turkey meatballs), so this saved extra work for me. The recipe itself was delicious and we are eating it again tonight…I have a feeling that it will be better the second night because the chickpea salad has had time to marinate.
I also baked the blueberry cornmeal butter cake and it was wonderful! Thanks for a wonderful cookbook!
Ah! I saw Pittsboro and thought, “Oh! Pittsburgh, Hurray!, (it must be a typo).” (Yes, apparently I think in parenthesis.) And then I thought with horror – what if it ISN’T a typo! And indeed it wasn’t, more’s the pity. So, adding my vote for a Pittsburgh or Cleveland stop (or Erie, which is actually where I live). Absolutely love everything you do! Yes, I’m obsessed – but I have yet to make one of your recipes I didn’t love!
These look wonderful! My current small kitchen doesn’t have an oven, though. Are there any suggestions about a good way to cook the potatoes on the stove top? (Would boiling them work, for example?)
This is DELICIOUS. I didn’t use celery or carrots, but I had yellow squash on hand. These are the most delightful gnocchi on the planet and I thank you.
I love making & eating gnocchi! I can’t wait to try it this way. I’m definitely one of those who loves to cover it in cheesy white buttery sauces. This lighter fare looks perfect!
Hi Deb! Your cookbook was the most coveted item on my Christmas list and I have savored reading each page of it. In fact, it’s been passed around our family already with bids for different meals; my twenty year-old brother sat for an hour and stuck Post-It notes the pages of each request! I can’t wait to try out the gnocchi recipe this weekend since you were able to lessen my fears of turning the dough into a gummy mess. I also have to place a major bid for a tour stop in Pittsburgh (PRETTY PLEASE!) or Cleveland, which is just a few hours from the ‘Burgh. Thank you for contributing to my culinary obsession and reminding all of us that cooking is FUN.
Hmm, no D.C. or Baltimore (or Virginia…) — somewhere close enough for me to drive! :)
I don’t live in Hawai’i, but I know some people who do! So — I lobby for Hawai’i!!!
BTW – my wonderful brother gave me your Cookbook for Christmas — squeee!! I love my brother! :-D
Oh my G!
Come to Columbus! I know some delectable little places to make small talk about a country-wide book tour, sip hot cider and nibble on some sweet scones.
mmmmm!!
This Gnocci recipe looks absolutely delicious and I am going to have to try it!
Thanks for sharing.
Another vote for London! Come and visit us here!
What kind of white wine would you recommend for the tomato broth?
I got your book for Christmas…it is sooo beautiful! Loved adding it to my collection! :)
Come to London and cook for us. Love love love this- the simplicity is perfect. xxx
I live in Atlanta, my boyfriend lives in Chicago and we came to your signing when I was up there before Thanksgiving….we had a great time, loved the bookstore and the fact that we could have a beer while waiting in line! However, after a few hours and still being a few hours far from our “letter” being called, we had to take off (Remember, I don’t get to see him much!) Anyway, we both bought the book while there and have loved trying recipes out. I was sooo excited when I saw you’re coming to ATL now and at Manuel’s! Coincidentally, my boyfriend will be in town that weekend so we will DEFINITELY be coming!
I’m so happy you are coming to Atlanta! And to Manuel’s, no less! Looking forward to it! :)
Made your mom’s apple cake from the cookbook today and just wanted to let you and others know, who have small families, this cake recipe can be successfully halved and put in a 9″ round layer pan. It takes about an hour to bake. I did not take it out of the pan, but just served slices right from the pan. I love how there is more apple then cake…I used pinata and granny smith apples, what I had on hand and it was delicious.
We both LOVE gnocchi. Nothing more comforting when made right! Delish!
Oh, do Columbus on your book tour, do! I don’t live there anymore, but that’s a city that would definitely appreciate you and your cookbook. And you could go to the North Market in the Arena district and get a) Jeni’s mind-blowing ice cream, b) beautiful bacon at Bluescreek meats, c) ALL OF THE CHEESES at Curds & Whey, and d) loads of spices at North Market Spices (like green mango powder, hibiscus powder, black salt, etc. etc.). God, I love that city. Go, Deb, go!
Made flat roasted chicken with tiny potatoes from your cookbook and wow, the flavor is amazing! We are sort of camping out in a kitchen that is not our own, so we had to use a baking sheet with sides to cook the chicken. The potatoes cooked right in the chicken fat (schmaltz!) and were ever so crispy on the bottoms. It took about an hour at 450 degrees, but the time was well worth it. Yum and thank you!
These look amazing! I love making gnocci at home, and usually use jarred sauce. Eeeek! I know. I must try this tomato broth, looks so comforting!
funny, i was sitting at swim lessons yesterday, smitten kitchen cookbook in hand, thinking, “maybe i’ll put aside my disdain for gnocchi and try these…” i think the broth intrigued me.
i also wanted to let you know that of all the cookbooks i’ve purchased lately (it’s a lot, too many, an addiction), yours the one i have cooked the most from. I’d say January has been “smitten kitchen month” and everything has been spectacular: the pork chops, the ckn with grapes & olives, wild rice and kale, the brisket, and more … & i am eying the short ribs for tonite. Great work, Thanks!
Mare
I’ve never managed to make a light gnocchi until I tried this recipe out of your book. It worked beautifully, as have the other recipes I’ve tried. Thanks so much for sharing!
I think you should mimic Rhianna’s 777 tour.. do the seven cities (Mexico City, Toronto, Stockholm, Paris, Berlin, London and NYC) in seven days!
Like others I breezed by this in the cookbook but am inspired now to try it! I do love the book; it’s really fabulous. The mile high apple pie and pumpkin-mascarpone tart were huge hits. Love the popcorn cookies too. The heart stuffed shells were truly amazing…what an inspired recipe that is. Started to mark the recipes I wanted to make but the book is full of scraps of paper! It’s the first cookbook I have bought in some time that made me want to cook so many recipes. Thanks for that!
I enjoyed this recipe very much. It’s in my “pasta” folder and will make it again because of the unique (to me) tomato sauce. For two people I only use one baked potato. After ricing, I spread the potato out on the board in a thin layer, evenly spread one or two beaten egg yolks, salt, grated nutmeg and spread as little flour possible, say 1/4 C. I use a plastic bowl scrapper to mix and determine consistency adding flour if necessary. Then light kneading. Not to different from SK but it’s how I learned.
Happy to see a stop in London may happen. I got a copy of the book in the US when I was back home in Texas at Christmas, but I would do everything I could to come and see you in London!
Wow! My favorite bookstore, Left Bank Books in St. Louis, and my favorite cookbook author, Deb, the same day! Twice even; a luncheon mid-day cosponsored by the store and Sauce Mag. and then again, a book signing. I was debating another event for March 1st; no debate now!
I’ve never even had gnocchi, which is odd because there is no carb I don’t like. Since these seem approachable, I’ll give it a shot.
This is the very first recipe I made when I got your cookbook this fall. I was definitely nervous, but they were so easy and oh so delicious! We finished the tomato broth off as soup a few days later. Next time I make these, I am thinking I’d make a double batch since they froze SOOO well. How long do you think these bad boys would keep in the freezer?
Thanks for all your hard (and delicious) work bringing us great recipes that one can even make in a tiny Brooklyn apartment… :)
I made this tonight and it was lovely. I made pesto from the basil not used in the sauce so that it wouldn’t go to waste. I sprinkled the pesto on the gnocchi rather than garnishing with basil. I fed my 18 month old twins the gnocchi with pesto and not only did they devour it, but also gnocchi is perfect for fork practice! I’m thinking about using the tomato broth recipe to poach fish or serve with fish poached in wine maybe? Also, I have to say it has been difficult not having a forum to talk about some of the amazing cookbook recipes. The red wine chocolate cake has to be the best cake I have ever eaten. Thanks you!
Italian and Greek cuisine are my favorite ones! Your recipe for broth seems to be fantastic, need to try it out one cold, winter afternoon!
Hi Deb! Received your cook book for christmas and made ny first recipe this weekend. Meatloaf/Meatball thingies and the peach pancakes unfortunately without the peaches they were a big hit and I liked them much better than the other sour cream pancakes on this site. Good luck on your book tour. I am still holding out for the hickory stick book store in Washington CT.
Thanks for helping my first time making gnocchi a success! This dish was amazing and my whole family enjoyed it. I shared this recipe in my most recent meal plan on my blog, thank you!
Oh man I knooow what you mean about it tasting wayyyy better when it’s bold in flavor, light, and brothy. That’s how I grew up eating gnocchi in Argentina, so even though I like ordering it in the states, it’s never the same. This recipe looks to diiiiiie forrrrrr~And if you think about it, this recipe is actually really healthy since it’s basically veggies and eggs :D
I want to go on a book tour! You got to be interviewed by Diane Rehm and Lynn Neary came to your house. That is so cool and, of course, also sounds exhausting. If only more than 5 people cared about employee benefits law [what I do for a living]… I usually try to change the subject when people ask me what I do at dinner parties for fear I will bore them to death so I suppose it’s not my destiny.
Just finished making this. It was perfectly delicious. Easy to make and I have LOADS in the freezer. I only had bread flour, but it didn’t seem to matter too much. (Just needed a bit more, perhaps.) The broth is incredibly flavorful. I never ever ever would have thought to attempt gnocchi. Thank you for this recipe!!
Deb — if you’re coming to Raleigh-Durham, then that means you must come to Raleigh AND Durham, because contrary to popular belief, we are not just one big city! Durham was just named one of the tastiest towns by Southern Living, our restaurants were described last week on Tasting Table and we made it to “36 Hours in Durham” in Sunday’s New York Times. So if you’re gonna come to “Raleigh-Durham,” you have to come to Durham, please!
I just made this recipe tonight and it came out absolutely WONDERFUL!!!! You are a GENIUS. Thank you for making me believe (and know) I can make authentic gnocchi!!! You also completely changed my boyfriend’s mind about how delicious it was. I’ve known all along :)
Hurray!! I’m so excited to see you in Minneapolis!!!
What a terrific recipe! My gnocchi came out perfectly pillowy, and the tomato broth—which I admit I was a little skeptical of—is just outstanding. I’m thinking about sipping up the leftovers for breakfast tomorrow.
Made it once and was awesome!!! My son is asking for this every day now!!
Looks good! I might make this for Valentines day, I think it has good color, and if its not too heavy that’s perfect. I just need to put it next to something green and maybe have a croissant or something.
Please bring your book tour to Sydney….it is summer here at the moment : )
PS: I just made your chicken falalfel / meatballs with the chickpea salad for dinner.
that looks so delicious!
No cheese in the dough? I see you have a picture of grated cheese…for topping?
Mindy — Those are the potatoes after going through the ricer, not cheese. Although who wouldn’t like cheese in gnocchi?
Maria — I would love to! Also, I’m pretty sure that’s the first time in history I have been considered in the same sentence as Rhianna. (You should see me dance!) (No. Nobody should, ever.)
Mike — Any kind that you’d like the drink the rest of the bottle of. ;)
So glad London is on the list eventually – but will more of us begging (BEGGING!) for a stop here make it happen sooner?!
I was skeptical, as previous attempts at making gnocchi resulted in tears and disappointment. Leave it to you Deb to give me a recipe that was not only easy, but absolutely fantastic. I will never buy gnocchi again!
You da bomb!!
I love making gnocchi, too! Fortunately for me, I never heard of a potato ricer and poo-poo’d the idea of a rolling board before my first attempt. I began baggage-free. I now make big batches and freeze some for quick and comforting meals after a long day of work.
FYI–I made, loved, and reviewed your Mushroom Bourguignon recipe on my blog today! (With appropriate links and credit given, of course). In a rare event, I didn’t change anything about your recipe. No substituting out weird ingredients I don’t have, or adjusting it to be vegetarian. THANK YOU!
Ah yes, resolutions of cutting carbs are slipping away… this recipe looks too good to pass up! At least, as you say, there’s no cheese or butter to add to the guilt. Read somewhere that potatoes contain all the nutrients you ever need, so I’ll just meditate on that :)
Here’s my vote for Jacksonville, Florida! Chamblin’s Uptown is a perfect little venue.
I am going to join the chorus here and say that this recipe was Insane with a capital I. About halfway through, I admit I got a bit skeptical about the lightness of the broth. I need not have doubted! Now, I can’t stop thinking about the combination of the light, super-flavorful broth and the gnocchi! Perfect for mid-January, too. My husband said he felt like the kid in the Campbell’s soup commercial (you know the one)!
DEB! The book is AWE-SOME. I am literally cooking my way through every recipe and loving the results. The gnocchi though… texture was right on but it just tasted… sadly, like nothing. Vaguely potato-y, but there just wasn’t much there. I think I was expecting the sum of the parts to be much greater than the components, but for me it just tasted like… the components. Any thoughts?
I made this last night without any hesitation about how difficult it might be. I have only eaten gnocchi a handful of times and certainly have never thought about cooking it myself, but it came out great! I opted to not strain the veggies out of the broth and it still came out light and delicious. Exactly what I was looking for after being cooped up in an office with no heat all day long!
I am going to be cooking the lentil & sausage soup tomorrow night :)
Deb, I would just like to say that I’ve been reading your blog for over a year (It’s a wonderful escape from my day job) and my sister bought me your cookbook for my birthday. It’s beautiful and I love it!
Thank you soooo much for the box grater tip! I’ve been meaning to get a ricer (and still do) but I tried grating the potatoes and what a result! My last attempt at gnocchi left me with a very dense, heavy outcome. These were light and delicious.
I’m a long-time reader, but first-time poster. Thank you for all of the great recipes and photos. My four-year-old and I made this today and it was fun and delicious. She especially loved trying out the potato ricer; it hasn’t made it out of the drawer since she was born… Instead of straining out the vegetables, we pureed the sauce in a blender. It worked out well and was creamy and a wonderful orange color.
I made this tonite and it came out delicious! Do you have any other serving suggestions for the gnocchi? My husband enjoyed it but he is not a tomato soup fan. I also made the mustard milanese from the cookbook. Out of this world! Thanks
Cheryl — I love to pan-toast them (better described here) and toss them with other salad ingredients.
I so totally failed with the recipe and now I’m bummed because I had my heart set on pillowy gnocchi tonight. The first time I cooked the potatoes they were slightly underdone and I ended up with what looked like a prep bowl for latkes. So I tried again. The next time I cooked the potatoes much longer (1 hr 10 min), but still when I grated them on a box grater I was left with grainy potato bits that never fully integrated into the dough. I made the gnocchi anyway and they looked lovely (if from a distance) and popped them in freezer. When I put them in the boiling water the next day, though, they completely disintegrated into a sludge of chunky potato-water and I had to throw it all away. I haven’t given up since this looks so promising, but I think it may be worth investing in a potato ricer and I doubt I will try to freeze them again.
Ladotyk –
I don’t think the second failure was yours – I had something similar with one of my potatoes – luckily I baked more than I needed for the recipe.
Essentially what happened is that one of the potatoes, despite being cooked for longer than seemed necessary (I ended up baking it for 75 min or so) never really got “soft”- it had a hard-ish almost crystalline quality. Really weird – I was grating it, and after a bit just decided to junk it and use the others.
Maybe that’s what happened on your second try?
By the way – I have seen it suggested several times that yukon gold potatoes may work better for these. I think really the main issue is just being sensitive to how much flour you put in, depending on how moist the potato is.
HTH
I would give anything for 20 degrees right now. Greetings from Milwaukee! haha. I think I’ll be making this very soon due to Wisconsin’s current below-zero temperatures.
If you do end up making a Paris run, feel free to stop by Amsterdam while you’re at it. :)
I made this a couple weeks ago from the cookbook. Very delicious but the texture of my gnocchi was off. Mine kind of exploded like bread that has risen too much when I boiled it in the broth. What did I do wrong? Not enough kneading? Too much flour? Any guesses?
I couldn’t bare to throw out the veggies, so I left them in and the soup (not broth) was wonderful, even with exploded-pillows of gnocchi instead of pillows of gnocchi.
This recipe pleased my very Italian fiance who has high gnocci standards. Deb you continue to amaze.
Thank you pvl, glad to see I wasn’t the only one. I’m already jonesin’ to buy more potatoes and get this right.
This was very nice, but I felt bad discarding the carrot, celery, onion, etc., so I’ll say that adding a spoonful to the broth on serving is quite nice if you like the texture.
Any thoughts on baking the potatoes vs. boiling with the skins on?
Oh god, that kind of soup you call “gnocchi” is really hilarious!
As italian, I can’t understand how you could only think to eat that things drowning in that… bleahhhh.
I really cannot understand.
Onions, garlics, blue cheese, wine, stalk celery, chicken stock … why?, WHY??????
The answer has to be found in simplicity, not in the number of ingredients!
Here there are some inviting “gnocchi”:
http://www.italianrecipesmadeeasy.com/gnocchi-sorrentina.html
Simple and delicious. And that’s what makes me love italian food :)
Sorry for my english
I’m so excited that you’re coming to Salt Lake! And King’s English is such a great book store. Unfortunately, the staff didn’t know whether or not event would be ticketed… I was hoping you might know (King’s English is small and standing outside in SLC in Feb is well, chilly).
There’s also a rumor going around (propagated by the King’s English peeps) that you might be doing a demonstration at one of the local grocery stores… any truth to that?
Anyway, I can’t wait! I promise to be there either way with multiple friends, cousins, sister… because we’re all borderline obsessed (and because everything in Utah is a family affair)!
I made this today, and it was DELISH! I even convinced my wary Italian boyfriend that the gnocchi would go great with the broth rather than a traditional tomato sauce, and he was sold upon tasting it. Very clear recipe, common ingredients, all the good things. The only divergence from the recipe is that my dough was too dry, so I needed to add another half egg to the dough, but otherwise it was smooth sailing.
I look forward to trying more recipes and seeing you when you come to STL!
I made this last night & it was delicious – although not paying close enough attention to your pictures, I made the broth in a deep pan instead of a pot. This made too much broth evaporate so I just tossed the gnocci into the veggies/broth, mixed it all up and it was great. I froze the other 1/2 of the gnocci as you recommended but wondered – if I try your pan-toasted recipe above, do I need to defrost them first? I would assume yes, but didn’t know if defrosting will do something weird to the consistency…
Is sherry a safe substitute for the white wine in this recipe? I can’t drink wine because of those darn tannins, but I keep a bottle of sherry on-hand for cooking since it doesn’t spoil like wine does.
Laurel — Sherry has a stronger flavor so I’d use a bit less.
RayAnne — I am getting an answer for you and will update here when I know more. Thanks.
I bookmarked this recipe in the cookbook as soon as I saw it but we haven’t tried it yet. We love gnocchi but the one time we tried to make it we found a weird recipe and it took forever and then ended up being fake gnocchi (no potatoes?!). It was stressful and tasted nothing like the kind my best friend’s Italian mom makes so we’ve bought it packaged since. I think it’s time to change that! P.s. Can you do a “book tour part III” and can you visit Dallas, Tx?! A group of us wanted to go to the Austin or Houston ones but they’re 5+ hours away and it was during finals (grad school…ahh). Pleeeeaaassseee???
I hope this isn’t a redundant question… (I read through all the comments, but could have missed it.)
Would it be possible to make and cook the gnocchi the day before and then assemble it in the broth just before serving without ruining the texture/flavor/magic?
Also, I know everybody says it but I’d also like to chime in with OMG, YOU’RE THE BEST AND I LOVE YOUR WORK AND AND AND I ADORE THIS BLOG!!!!!!!!!!!!
joanna — I don’t see why not. But I prefer to freeze gnocchi and then cook it when needed, although I would read some of the earlier commments where folks were having trouble with this step. I have retested since posting this, but as I was writing the book, I many times froze extra gnocchi uncooked and cooked them when needed right from the freezer.
Made this tonight and it was so yummy. My husband and I loved it. Can’t wait for your time here in Atlanta!!
Deb, you’re inspiring! I love gnocci but have always been intimidated – yes, by the fact that every gnocci recipe I’ve ever read calls for a potato ricer (what! Another kitchen gadget!? Guaranteed eye rolling from my husband) – but your recipe makes gnocci seem so attainable. Either you are very wise or very crafty. Either way, thank you! And wish me luck…
I made these this past Sunday, from the cookbook. Phenomenal. The slowest part really was baking the potatoes–everything else moved along quickly. Ran the unpeeled potatoes under cold water to cool them because I got antsy–worked fine. We packed the gnocchi in the broth for the next day’s lunch and it tasted even better.
Hi Deb, you met my mother at a booksigning event in Bridgewater a month or two ago….she brought me the (signed!) cookbook when she came to visit me in Germany last week, and it is just gorgeous and full of inspiration. Congratulations!!
Then, both my mother and myself made these gnocchi on the same day after she went home to NJ. We agreed from opposite sides of the Atlantic that they were delicious and totally worth the time. My husband and I ate half the batch with the tomato broth, and half the batch pan fried in sage brown butter…both fabulous. Thank you for your awesome work!!
We live in Italy so we have some ready-made gnocchi patate that is awesome. I focused on the broth. My Italian born husband did not even want to try this, something like “brodo (broth)? not sugo (sauce)?. I don’t think I will like it”. I made it anyway. He not only ate it, he declared it good, high praise from an Italian. The broth was outstanding. I found it to be just a little too acidic (probably the Italian brand tomatoes) so I added a maybe a quarter cup of home made beef and onion broth at the end for balance. If I had just let the broth sit longer, I probably would not have needed to add anything. I swear this could also be a great base for tomato soup, add a little cream, or not, as you choose.
Deb – I live in Milwaukee (brr) but am from St. Louis. Your lunch at the Modesto is ON my birthday, which I took as a sign – as if I needed one – to book a ticket immediately. And brag. To everyone. I have an almost 6-month-old baby girl (she’s cute!), and I planned on bringing her but it occurred to me that I might need to check whether little chubby cheeks are welcome? Did I mention she’s cute?
Maggie — Are you kidding? So welcome. Can sit up front with me? :)
The dean & deluca here in KC is the only place I can find the brand of tomato you use. Thanks for the advice! I am so lucky to have this store near me.
i made these last night and they were amazing! i made more of a chunky tomato sauce with it. and darn me for not being more patient when baking the potato. it didn’t want to break down all the way after i grated them and i was a little concerned they would come out like boiled potato hashbrowns…. but they still worked! and again, deliciousness. i have about 3/4 left in my freezer all set and ready to go.
YUM! Whipped them up last night from your book, and loved it all. In a step of laziness, I just blended all the veggies into the sauce for a thicker sauce. Perfect for those who want a heartier sauce.
Just made this ( with a few modifications due to lack of ingredients) it looks soooo good!!!!! I’m sure it turned out as good.
I am sad to say that this recipe was my one and only failure out of the dozens of recipes I’ve made from this site (and now the cookbook!). And I am so, so disappointed because I love gnocchi AND I love freezer-friendly food! But no one else seems to be complaining, so I’m sure I did something wrong. Quite simply, I could not get the dough to resemble anything close to dough consistency. The potatoes fell apart, but in a way that made them nearly impossible to grate. I ended up with a pile of stiff lumps, and then after an effort to get rid of the lumps, I had a sticky starchy gluey mess. I went ahead with the recipe but ended up with gnocchi blobs that look far less appetizing than yours. They taste fine but the texture is totally wrong–thick and lumpy. I want smooth and fluffy! Did anyone else suffer from this?
My only guess at an explanation is that my potatoes were on the old side…could this cause the weird consistency problem? Or could I have overbaked the potatoes?
The tomato broth, on the other hand, was awesome. And I used the strained vegetables to make an equally awesome pasta sauce. So I guess it wasn’t a complete failure :)
I think you’re right — I think most people feel that gnocchi is too difficult to make at home. Even though I have the right equipment (minus the board), I still haven’t done it because it intimidates me. But, no more! I will try making homemade gnocchi in my own kitchen in 2013.
Thanks for the inspiration!
Like Alice (comment #82) I cooked half the gnocchi when I made them and they were beautiful. And the ones I froze turned to mush when I went to cook them. Not sure why, but as soon as they hit the water they started disintegrating.
A quick Google search took me to a Livestrong Foundation page (surely Lance wouldn’t lie about something as benign as gnocchi, right?) which instructs that if the water doesn’t return to a boil immediately after frozen gnocchi are added, they will turn mushy. I don’t know what the chemistry behind this phenomenon is, but it was certainly true for me. The frozen gnocchi obviously lowered the water temp (which had been at a full boil) very quickly. I was using a 4 qt pot for about 1/2 the gnocchi made by the recipe above. Next time I will either cook the frozen gnocchi in smaller batches so that the water temp doesn’t drop so substantially, or will haul out my 8 qt stock pot if I need to cook them all at once.
See you at the lunch event in St. Louis!
I had never tried making homemade gnocchi before. I have had gnocchi many times at restaurant s but never made them myself. I love your recipes and they looked so lovely. I followed your recipe exactly and it turned out amazing. Thanks so much for this one. Now I have been thinking of all of the different ways I want to sauce these gnocchi. Another keeper Deb.
Any idea how much grated potato you ended up with from 2 lbs of russets? I have some leftover boiled new potatoes I thought I’d try to make gnocchi with, but no idea how much I have. I think I’ll wing it anyway — all I’ll lose if it bombs is one egg and some flour. But this looks so tasty, I have to try. Hoping to make it to the Atlanta signing; thanks for coming!
What can i substitute wine with in the recipe?
Love this recipe, great for when you are cold, but not super hungry! Easy to make and tastes awesome.
First, let me say that I thought the gnocchi recipe was amazing! Very delicious, and they were so light (as long as you knead the dough only a few times). However, I think it’s best to use more exact measurements. For example, I feel that from the potatoes you want 2 cups of riced potatoes and you want exactly 3/4 cup of flour, with another 1/4 cup for kneading and making sure the gnocchi don’t stick to the board… With these exact measurements, you get a light and wonderful tasting gnocchi. Otherwise, great! I didn’t make the broth, I went with a light, sage and butter sauce. Just melt some butter in a small pan, remove the thick, white part that ends up on the top layer and then add a few sage leaves until the sauce becomes aromatic. Add some garlic if you’d like. I’m sure the tomato broth was great, but I didn’t have the ingredients on hand to make it so I went with the butter sauce instead. Great recipe! Thanks so much!
My mum made this last week with bought pasta (fresh though) and it was BEAUTIFUL! Love love loved it. Also, she used the tomato bits left over from the broth in a bolognese sauce which is also amazing.
Love your blog
I made this today and it was fabulous! The broth was tdf. I’ve never made gnocchi before and I’m so proud! Thank you! They were perfect.
PERFECTION! used a semi dry rose (had no white wine) and sipped it along with the meal. flavors are superb. indeed comforting yet light.will definitely become a favorite.
I only recently tried gnocci. I found a recipe for tuna-mushroom gnocchi and thought it would make a great weeknight casserole. It was awesome, but I bought pre-made, shelf stable gnocchi. I might try it again using this recipe and make my own! Thanks!
Do you think your broth would pair well with sweet potato gnocchi? I’m not sure I’ve ever found a sweet potato gnocchi recipe that didn’t call for some variation of a sage brown butter sauce. While delicious, I’d often prefer something lighter. If not, think you’ve got any ideas for a sauce or topping? Thanks.
I had so many “uh oh” moments when making this that I thought they wouldn’t turn out!
I had to abandon my gnocchi-making efforts halfway through and ended up refrigerating the already-cooked potatoes. When I reheated them the next day, they still wouldn’t go soft again, so the potatoes were very much grated instead of pulpy. I mashed them around with a bit of water to try to get them closer to the consistency I thought they’d been.
The resulting gnocchi were perfect the first time around, but a little weird when I reheated them from frozen (the outsides got “puffy” and soft).
I must admit that I still much prefer traditional Italian preparations to this one, but I’m glad I attempted this dish. If anything, it inspired me to keep searching for my ideal gnocchi recipe — there’s a happy medium somewhere between this and sloppy, New-York-Italian messes of tomato and cheese. I’m going to use the leftovers to attempt gnocchi alla sorrentina again, but with a thinner and smoother sauce, and see what happens.
This is the first recipe I made out of your Cookbook!
I absolutely LOVED the broth. It was so delicately flavoured, and worked so well. I used red wine instead of the white, and it still turned out great.
I also used the leftover cooked vegetables from the broth into a huge pot of soup, just adding tomato paste to a beef broth. That extra recipe turned out absolutely delicious too! My family loved it.
So if anybody doesn’t want to throw away those lovely vegetables from the broth, try what I did and be resourceful.
Thanks for the recipe Deb! (Sincerely, a 20 year-old university student/foodie)
the best. these are the lightest gnocchi i’ve ever had. i’ve had this with the broth and then tonight i changed it up and pureed the tomato sauce instead of straining out the vegetables. works great both ways. my version here: http://www.thingsimadetoday.com/2013/02/25/gnocchi-with-tomato-sauce/
Made this recipe a few days ago. Very good! I used a half chicken to make stock earlier in the day and we added the shredded chicken to the gnocchi and tomato broth.
I made this last night and boy was it delicious! I can’t say that my gnocchi were perfection but that didn’t detract from the overall tastiness of this dish. I would say, though, that it seemed a travesty to strain out all that vegetable goodness. So, I skipped the straining. Suppose it’s no longer a “soup”, but that doesn’t bother me one bit. Thanks for helping inspire my dinners!
Oh wow! My wife has talked about making gnocchi. We’ll have to take a look at giving this recipe a try!
I made this a few weeks ago and it was so wonderful, I made a double batch of the gnocchi so we could freeze the extra for another night. Three weeks later I was ready for round two and I put the frozen gnocchi in the boiling water to cook and it turned to mush almost immediately, what happened? I don’t understand the first half cooked so wonderfully I wondered if it was because of the freezing process? Please help me understand what went wrong? I am making a new batch of gnocchi tonight but worried about freezing it again for later use.
Made these last night. First time ever making gnocchi and was greatly surprised at how easy they are to make. This recipe is perfect for a cold spring day wishing for warmer weather!
Made the gnocchi today. Or at least, tried to.
I used the grater for the potatoes, but I ended up with the dough you described in your previous post on gnocchi. It stayed very sticky, I wasn’t able to shape it into a roll or cut it and when I boiled a couple of lumps they were as sticky as the raw dough was.
I guess I made a mistake when I grated the potatoes? How much/little pressure do you need? How gentle should I be when mixing in the egg and flour? Can you think of any other caveats?
Elikie — The grating is really about pressing the potatoes through holes that emulate a potato ricer. It’s not about creating strips or the texture of the final potatoes, but finding a way to reduce potatoes to a floury pile without pureeing them (which would release the water and make them gluey).
Made these today (though not with the broth), and they were fantastic and easy. Subbed a GF flour mix and added an extra egg b/c the flour sucks all of the moisture out of things, but they were, for all intents and purposes, the same as described. Yum! Will have to try them out in the broth here sometime soon! Thanks!
I would just like to ask how long these would last in the freezer because I have made them but don’t know how long I should keep them.
Toni — They’re good in your freezer for as long as your freezer keeps things fresh. I realize that’s not a very exact answer, but I know some freezers impart a freezery smell on stuff after a month or six months; if yours is like that, store them for less. In general, I’d still not keep them there for more than half a year, but that’s just me.
Finally! I used to think Gnocchi was my white whale, my alabtross because I could never get it to come out right, I’d end up with potato mush that fell apart when it touched a fork.
This recipe was great! I ended up with perfect, delicious gnocchi. I did alter it in that I microwaved the potatos and I didn’t strain the broth becuase I wanted a more ragu like sauce.
Hi
Just made theise gnossi for the sceond time, and I know I will never use another gnossi recepie in my life, theise are perfection.
On this rainy cool spring day, I didn’t read all the comments before preparing and made some substitutions. I found the comment to be true, that on rainy days the recipe will require lots more flour. I had to add almost 3/4 cup extra flour and still found it a bit challenging to roll out. Also, I had to use 1/2 cup whole wheat flour because I was running out of white. They came out very good anyway. I cooked the potatoes in my Miele speed oven. Actually, they got overcooked. I left my husband to cook them while I went out to play in the puddles with my 4 year old. Also, for the sauce the following substitutions and changes made a delicious sauce: fennel instead of celery because my family detests celery, vegetarian soup cube instead of vegetable stock, 3 fresh tomatoes and a dollop of tomato paste. I pureed the lot with the immersion blender.
I had the same problem as Elkie– I just ended up with a gluey, sticky mess :( The broth was great, but the gnocchi was not! Any ways to remedy this without buying a potato ricer? Would pressing the baked potatoes through the smaller holes of a box grater be a better choice?
Made gnocchi tonight using your recipe …. oh so simple and tasty. Having never made them before I am now hooked. I did not have problems with overly sticky dough and barely used 156 grams of flour. I grated the potatoes but they didn’t break down in the dough as much as I thought they would however, it doesn’t make the end result any less tasty.
Made these tonight (my second time–this recipe is foolproof!) with Marcella Hazan’s bolognese sauce. Huge success! The first time my potato rice/dough/air was much drier, I had a hard time rolling logs but they were delicious. This time everything was wetter (potatoes? Humidity?) but I gently shaped the logs and placed them in a plastic wrap strip. Then I “rolled” them. With great trepidation, I then refrigerated the logs for two hours. When I was ready to boil/serve, the dough was even stickier, but I cut them into pillows from the plastic wrap and dropped in water. They were light, tender, delicious… PERFECT!
This was so good! Never knew the secret to good gnocchi; now I do :) and the broth… ahhhh amazing!
I’ve had this recipe bookmarked for forever as it seemed easy but still special and complex in a fun way (a specialty of yours I might add). I finally bought a box grater on Friday and was planning a Saturday afternoon sequestered in the kitchen in a cooking zen. But then boyfriend’s afternoon plans were canceled so I suggested we make it together. Cue cooking zen for two! It was fun. It was satisfying to make and to eat. We put the strained veggies on a baguette and called it bruschetta. And all night long, at odd intervals, boyfriend keep announcing “damn, that gnocchi was GOOD.” Oh, and we had your strawberry cake for dessert. Smitten Kitchen indeed. Thanks Deb!
Made these last week and were thrilled with the outcome -sooo fluffy.
I pushed the potato through a wire sieve (a tip a chef friend told me about)… and started the potatoes in the microwave as I was short on time.
Overall, I’m very impressed as the recipe was much easier than I had anticipated.
Oh my goodness…I made these again yesterday and while the gnocchi could have been better (totally my own fault…I should my potatoes could have been cooked more) they were still superb and THAT BROTH…oh heaven…please give me other ideas for using it other than drinking it straight up because I want to make it every night. Love you! (And so dos my husband!)
YAY!!!!! After years and years of trying, I finally made gnocchi that tasted AMAZING!
Massive tanks to you!!!!!!
Lovely broth, I’ll be doing that again.
First time making Gnocchi, I’m really surprised by some of the comments on here. I found the amount of flour in the recipe to be *way* too much, I accidentally dried out my dough, and had to add some more egg to bring it back to a slightly sticky consistency. I think I paid for that later, as the gnocchi floated before they were cooked!
Perhaps a factor of the potatoes (Desiree in the UK not the Russet), but point being, be really careful with the amount of flour claimed here :)
Cheers!
I’ve made Gnocchi twice before and it was a complete failure with one recipe being from a famous TV chef. I was stuck with buying the store bought stuff in the vacuum sealed bag – just barely ok. So, when I saw this recipe I decided to try Gnocchi one more time and boy am I glad I did. This recipe is FANTASTIC! It came out just like the restaurant Gnocchi I often order. The tomato broth was so good. Thanks for a wonderful recipe!!
I made this just the other night and it came out delicious. I also loved the ease of the recipe, while the potatos roasted I prepped all my veggies, while the soup cooked I worked on the gnocchi. It felt so flawless to make this dinner and I didnt for a moment feel frazzled. Thanks!
Just one question: What did you do with the strained tomatos/carrots/celery? It feels like such a waste to just dump them
Yes, I made this last night and it was delicious. We only needed one cup of flour to make the dough just right. #411 Leyla, we just used and immersion blender and did not bother to strain the tomato broth. We liked it chunky…it may not look quite as nice but using my home canned tomatoes…it was so tasty.
I agree with others that just leaving the carrot, celery etc in works just great! I’ve made this several times and it’s always a winner.
Wow! Am I the only one who had an epic failure with this recipe? I did EXACTLY as the recipe says with the potatoes, but they never became usable– totally sticky even after more than 3.5 cups of flour. I now have a lump of sticky, floury potatoes in my fridge and might try to grout tile with them, but it did not work for gnocchi. Also, I grated the potatoes but the lumpiness of them never went away. It was terrible for us. On a positive note, the sauce was great. Question– after baking the potatoes, do you let the steam out or are they supposed to be really moist? I feel like our were just too moist and no amount of flour would help. Sorry, but I can’t try this one again without advice on what may have gone wrong. I’ve never had such bad luck with a Smitten Kitchen recipe.
Julie — I’m sorry that you had trouble with the recipe. If it’s any consolation, gnocchi are definitely one of the peskiest things to make because potatoes are basically water in those tiny grainy cells and the more you “work” the dough, even to add more flour, the more water is released into the dough, i.e. the only way to make them is to work them as little as possible. It may be easier in the future to create more of a buffer with the flour between the dough log and the counter, less trying to work the flour into the dough to firm it up, but just to be able to cut and lift the pieces without them glueing themselves to the counter. I hope that made sense.
I’m making these again, might as well bookend the year with gnocchi. Loved them in January and looking forward to cooking/eating them again before the year is out.
Cheers, Deb!
I also use an immersion blender and don’t bother straining (I would if I made it for anything but a family dinner). And after a few spectacular failures years ago, I am never trying to make gnocchi again. I know there’s nothing like good home made gnocchi, but store bought will have to be good enough for me…
I especially enjoyed the broth when I made this. Since my 2-year-old daughter loves tomato soup so much, I adapted this broth recipe to make a soup. I don’t strain out the vegetables. Instead I add some cream and then use an immersion blender to smooth it all out. I highly recommend this- in addition to the original recipe.
So my question is: are you against microwaves? As a full-time working mother of a 2 year old, ain’t nobody got time to spend an hour baking a potato that you’re going to mash and make dough out of. I made this recipe with that change – I washed my potato, pricked holes in it with a fork, microwaved on high for 5 min, turned and cooked an additional 4 min. This worked perfectly, the skin peels right off and away you go. The dish was perfect! Yum!
Kara — Oh god no, I’ve just always had tiny terrible kitchens with no space for one. We have one now and I’d definitely use a microwave today.
I, like Julie, had trouble with this recipe. I kept adding flour tablespoon by tablespoon, and it was still a big, incredibly sticky ball. I finally resorted to rolling the ropes out on a floured surface, which worked. All in all, these were good but surprisingly much more work than homemade pasta!
Side note: I couldn’t bare to throw away the veggies from that wonderful broth (food waste is a huge pet peeve), so I put them in my blender with more broth, white wine, garlic, some parsley and tomato paste, and it made a pretty tasty blended soup!
Would this dish work if I browned them in a frying pan and then add to the broth instead of boiling?
Vrushali — Probably, although keep in mind they’re more fragile than storebought.
I made this and it worked beautifully! I’m in Melbourne and this year there have been parts of the summer that are quite mild, or rainy but humid-ish. This I think is actually light enough to work as a Spring/Summer soup – the summer flavours were *delicious*. I also love that I now have a bunch of leftover gnocchi in the freezer. I’d never considered putting gnocchi in a broth before but am definitely converted!
I forgot to mention that my oven is causing major issues atm, so I boiled the potatoes and then mashed them and let the heat dry out the excess moisture – this worked fine for me but your mileage may vary. I also loved the strained soup and another time I might want the thicker soup blitzed with all the bits. This time I really wanted to see what the broth tasted like and the texture – it was perfect for the warmer weather and the heavier soup would have been too much (much better for winter).
This recipe ultimately led to a number of variations, all spectacular. I love the simplicity of the recipe above, and also a version where I leave the veggies in, and add black beans and kidney beans. Feels oddly like a grownup chef Boyardee, which seems strange to say, but was so comforting as a kid.
This was spectacularly good and perfect as written. Hands on time (so not counting the baking of the potatoes and simmering of the broth) was only about 30 minutes, and I managed to use only one pot by rinsing out the pot I made the broth in and using that one to boil the gnocchi. Definitely try this!
Thanks, Deb. Now my daughter requests this every year for her birthday. Today, I have to make homemade gnocchi in tomato broth for a 7 year old on a day when I have a late-afternoon two-hour meeting. Sheesh. ;) We do love this recipe and I’ve made it a lot. Company gushes.
I’m obsessed with this broth. I will make it again without the gnocchi.
I made these and they were amazing .. and your cookbook rocks (and I am a vegetarian!!) … BUT .. I froze over half of my leftover gnocchi and when I went to cook them from the freezer they turned into horrible mush. No whole gnocchi just little clumpy messes. What went wrong?????
I just made this recipe and I have one little suggestion; make sure you thoroughly bake the potatoes. When I used my knife to pierce the potatoes, it went in easily…but I probably could have left them in a few more minutes (an hour and 15 minutes would have been better). When I grated the potatoes in the box grater, it worked well, but the potatoes grated like cheese…rather than falling apart. So when I mixed in the egg and flour, the potato strands felt in tact, and didn’t melt away. When I tasted the gnocchi there was more texture than I was expecting. I think by baking the potatoes more would have fixed this issue. WOW long comment, but in case anyone was wondering :)
This is just so good, the broth is just heavenly. I’ve made it multiple times and have not had any problems with the recipe. I usually double the broth and gnocchi and freeze half of both of them. It is so simple to use the frozen broth and gnocchi for an easy weeknight dinner. I agree with the comment about making sure your potatoes are baked long enough. If you’re using really big baking potatoes I would add time to what is listed in the recipe. To freeze the gnocchi just lay them out on a lined sheet pan in the freezer until they’re really frozen before bagging them.
I made the gnocchi and tomato broth for the second time…and my guests said it was a very heartwarming and comforting dish. One of them is on a no sodium regimen, and even for her it hit the spot. Loved making this for them!
Hello, I’m new to cooking with wine so please tell me what kind of white wine you use/ purchase for this recipe?
This broth tastes like what I wish most tomato soups would taste like. How would you recommend thickening the broth to make it more like soup but maintaining the flavor?
You can reduce it or add less broth to it.
I love this recipe. I par-cooked the potatoes in the microwave for about 6 minutes and then cooked them in the oven for about an hour. For a great snack, take the the potato skins, drizzle with olive oil and stir to coat, spread on a baking sheet, sprinkle with salt and bake for about 15-20 minutes, or until browned and crispy.
Hi Deb, Would love to know how long the gnocchi may last in the fridge. They are delicious. Thank you for the recipe.
“Decidedly delicious” is from my 3.5 year old. I couldn’t agree more. I’m a first-time gnocchi maker and it was easy. Painless. I will definitely do this again.
Please let me know if you’re looking for a writer for your blog. You have some really good posts and I feel I would be a good asset. If you ever want to take some of the load off, I’d absolutely love to write some content for your blog in exchange for a link back to mine. Please send me an e-mail if interested. Thank you!
I live abroad and therefore do not have russet potatoes; I decided to try this out anyway even though russet was noted (stupid past self…) and since I followed every other aspect of the recipe precisely (and measured in weight, not volume), I can only assume that my potatoes were the problem. I had to add around double the noted quantity of flour to achieve a workable dough… and I didn’t even wait for “a dough that does not easily stick to your hands,” instead settling for a dough that could just be coaxed into a rope as long as all exposed sides were covered with flour. The resulting gnocchi were (predictably, considering the amount of flour) dense— similar to the gnocchi you can buy in the grocery store and not at all the light and fluffy pillows I wanted.
My failure is, of course, not Deb’s fault… I’m writing this mostly to caution any other international readers from attempting this, and of course I would be happy to hear if anyone has a potential solution to my problem.
I made the gnocchi with some golden and some red skin potatoes (it’s what we had!) And used a crappy cheese grater. Then boiled for 2 min, then pan toasted them and made a brown butter, herb sauce. It was the best thing I’ve ever made!! Can’t believe how foolproof this recipe is!!!
This was our Christmas Day dinner! It was the perfect thing for a gluten-free + vegetarian + dairy free crowd. I used Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 gluten free flour blend, and about 3 lbs of potatoes. I only needed about a cup of flour total – I think the extra “stickiness” of the gluten free flour (and how easily it seems to absorb moisture) really worked. I was afraid they would fall apart when boiled, but they were perfect, and just the same as all the times I’ve made this before with regular flour. I also used a bit of potato starch when rolling them out because.. potatoes. One other time-saving thing I’ve started to do is just dump out the whole can of tomatoes into a bowl, smoosh them under the liquid so they don’t squirt at you before you roast them, and then just dump the whole bowl into the broth later. It’s always close to 3 cups of liquid, and you’re just going to immersion blend the whole thing anyway, so it saves you having to wash a strainer.
How do you mix the flour in (implement and/or method), from the start and then when it gets more difficult to combine? I see in the Gnocchi with a Grater recipe it says to use a wooden spoon to mix in the eggs but I’m curious if you use it up until the last knead-by-hand step, as the dough gets quite thick? After making them tonight this is what I was left wondering. They reminded me of gnocchi I’ve bought but I’m curious if they could have been fluffier!
Thanks Deb, this was delicious. My dough was more sticky, but I did things that contributed to it’s high moisture, like adding an extra potato and not roasting my potatoes, preferring to microwave for 30 minutes or so instead. As well, the broth was not strained and its entirety split between 2 people along with half the gnocchi. I froze the other half of the gnocchi for a rainy day.
I ate my mother’s potato gnocchi for years. Then one day she began making ricotta gnocchi. They were much lighter and I have been making them ever since. I like your tomato broth idea and will try the next time instead of a tomato sauce. Thanks.
Found this when searching for something new to make. Admittedly, I changed it up, but only because I was being lazy.
First, I used 1:1 gluten free flour and it worked great.
Second, my dutch oven is really heavy so I decided just to puree my sauce because I didn’t want to lift a heavy pot to strain. I added a small pat of butter and red pepper flakes. It was delicious! I imagine the broth is equally delicious, but I was definitely being lazy. Our ten year old loved it! By pureeing the sauce I was able to make dinner for 3 tonight and we should have enough left over for at least 3 more servings.