Easy Italian Potato Gnocchi Recipe: No Egg For Perfect Texture

Make authentic Italian potato gnocchi with a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture that's never gummy. This guide makes homemade gnocchi easy to understand. You will learn to make two kinds of delicious gnocchi: light, fluffy gnocchi that are like clouds of potato, and classic, firm gnocchi. The key is the traditional Italian technique of making them without eggs. This method is important for getting that perfect, non-gummy texture and letting the pure, delicious potato flavor really stand out. Forget about heavy, gluey gnocchi; now you can easily make real Italian comfort food at home.

Jump to:

• Eggs, Yea or Nay
• Ingredients
• Instructions
• How to serve them
• Storing gnocchi
• Equipment
• Variations
• History of Italian Gnocchi
• FAQ
• 📋 How To Make Italian Gnocchi

Homemade Italian potato gnocchi, on the other hand, made simply with potatoes and flour, offer a much lighter texture and a richer potato flavor.

Store-bought versions just can't usually compare in terms of quality and taste.

Choosing to make gnocchi at home really ensures a better dish overall.

The difference in both texture and flavor is quite noticeable.

Once you've tasted fresh, homemade gnocchi, you'll likely find it hard to go back to store-bought.

This easy homemade gnocchi recipe will show you how to get the texture you like, whether you prefer them large and a bit firmer or small and very soft.

And you can enjoy them with your favorite sauces, like classic pesto or butter and sage.

For added flavor and color, consider incorporating different types of potatoes or vegetables, such as purple or sweet potatoes, chestnuts, or sweet pumpkins.

While potato-based gnocchi is the most common, variations like ricotta cheese gnocchi, breadcrumb gnocchi, and semolina gnocchi also have a rich history in Italian cusine.

Eggs, Yea or Nay

Gnocchi's authentic Italian recipe can raise some serious culinary controversy.

There are two fractions of gnocchi enthusiasts, and they're as passionate about their preferred recipes as they are about their favorite soccer teams.

If gnocchi had political parties, these would be the Eggists and the Eggless.

Italian gnocchi offers two authentic variations: one with eggs and one without.

I am a strong eggless supporter as without the egg, they can cater to vegetarians and vegans alike, and I can tailor its texture to the specific dish I'm crafting.

This is the technique my mother taught me in the 70s and I have always made them this way without ever compromising on that light and tender texture.

These delightful Italian eggless dumplings can be light and airy or robust and firm.

The lighter gnocchi beautifully complemented light sauces, ideal for starters or sides, while the heftier version stands up well to rich sauces like ragù, making it a perfect main course.

Ingredients

To prepare a delicious gnocchi dish, you will need the following main ingredients:

• Potatoes: Opt for old, Russet potatoes, which remain smooth and firm when boiled. Boil the potatoes unpeeled to prevent water absorption.
• All-purpose flour: For a versatile choice that works well with the potatoes.
• Semolina flour: Use this only for chunky gnocchi variations.
• Salt: For seasoning the dough and boiling water.

Instructions

How to cook the potatoes

If you are using a manual ricer

Extra tips for cooking the potatoes

• Do not peel the potatoes before boiling. The potatoes will absorb too much water leading to soggy gnocchi.
• Avoid using a blender, as this overworks the potatoes, releasing too much starch and resulting in a dense, waxy, and gummy gnocchi texture.
• I recommend using the kitchenaid vegetable strainer as it mashes and peels the potatoes at the same time.

If you are using a vegetable strainer:

N.B: Pass the discharged skins and any remaining puree back through the feed tube again until only dry skin is expelled.

5. Set aside the mashed potatoes to cool down completely.

N.B: Do not make the mash the day before as the texture of the potatoes becomes dry, grainy, and loses the right kind of moisture and creaminess

How to make the gnocchi dough

After the mashed potatoes have reached room temperature, mix them with the following ingredients for either fluffy or chunky gnocchi:

Fluffy Gnocchi:

• 4 large potatoes
• ½ cup - 125 g of all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon of salt

Chunky Gnocchi:

• 4 large potatoes
• ½ cup - 80 g of semolina flour
• ¼ cup - 30 g of all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon of salt

Reminder: Using a minimal amount of flour makes the best gnocchi. Too much flour results in tougher gnocchi.

How to shape them

1. Lightly flour a large, clean work surface.
2. Place the mashed potatoes in a mound with a hole in the center. Sprinkle approximately most of the flour over the potatoes.

7. Using a bench scraper or knife, cut the rope into your desired gnocchi shapes.

8. Repeat steps 4 and 5 with the remaining dough until all the gnocchi are shaped and arrange them over floured trays on a single layer

How to indent them

Because fluffy gnocchi are small and delicate, indenting them is an extra step that doesn't significantly improve texture or sauce absorption.

We will only indent the larger classic gnocchi:

How to cook gnocchi

How to serve them

Light and Fluffy Gnocchi

Light and fluffy gnocchi have less flour, making the potato flavor more prominent.

Ideal as a starter or side dish, it's best to pair them with delicate sauces that enhance the potato taste without overpowering it.

Some refreshing sauce options include:

• Sage and butter: A simple combination of melted butter and fresh sage leaves.
• Truffle Gnocchi Sauce: Infused with the bold flavor of truffles, this sauce complements the lighter texture of the gnocchi.
• Fresh basil pesto: A blend of fresh basil, pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil adds a vibrant touch
• Red pesto: fresh tomatoes, basil, garlic, and olive oil create a deeper, richer pesto option.
• Pistachio pesto: a rich and nutty sauce made with pistachio nuts, fresh basil and Parmesan cheese

Chunky and Firm Gnocchi

Chunky and firm gnocchi hold up well with more robust sauces, like those featuring mushrooms, seafood, or meat sauce.

These heartier dishes can be served as a main course. Suggested pairings include:

• Simple tomato sauce: A light base composed of tomatoes, garlic, and a touch of basil
• Bolognese sauce: A rich, meaty sauce with ground beef, tomatoes, and herbs
• Lamb ragu: Slow-cooked lamb with tomato sauce and a hint of rosemary for a lush, flavorful combination.
• Wild mushrooms chanterelle: Earthy chanterelle mushrooms cooked with garlic, parsley, and cream.
• Or seafood: A mix of shrimp, clams, and white fish for a satisfying oceanic twist.

Complete the dish by generously topping the gnocchi with grated Parmigiano Reggiano for a perfect balance of flavors.

Storing gnocchi

Storing gnocchi properly can help preserve its taste and texture. Ideally, it should be served fresh on the same day it is made. However, if it's necessary to store, you can freeze the uncooked gnocchi to maintain quality. Follow these steps to store gnocchi effectively:

1. Freeze: Lay them out in a single layer on a tray to prevent sticking.
2. Transfer: Once frozen, move them into a freezer bag.
3. Thaw: When ready to cook, thaw gnocchi before boiling.
4. Leftovers: Reheat baked gnocchi topped with sauce and Parmesan cheese.

Remember, freshly made gnocchi is always the best option. Buying freshly-made gnocchi from a pasta shop is also a viable alternative.

Equipment

I find it very useful to use the KitchenAid and its vegetable strainer. It separates the skin directly, so I don’t have to peel the potatoes. It is perfect when you make gnocchi, mashed in a flash, and you don t have to burn your hands to peel hot potatoes.

Other useful tools include a potato ricer for creating smooth mashed potatoes without burning your hands. 

A fork, gnocchi board, or gnocchi roller can be used to indent the gnocchi dough. 

Lastly, baking sheets are essential for laying out the formed gnocchi before cooking.

Variations

Gnocchi offers diverse flavors and colors when combined with other ingredients like spinach, chestnuts, pumpkins, or sweet potato gnocchi.

Some popular variations include ricotta gnocchi, gnocchia alla Romana, Canederli bread gnocchi and Parisian gnocchi made with choux paste.

History of Italian Gnocchi

The word gnocchi has historical roots, likely tracing back to the Lombard term "knohhil," signifying a knot in wood.

This term might be connected to the South Tyrolean "knodel," which influenced Trentino dumplings made with breadcrumbs.

As this culinary delight migrated south, the term evolved to "gnocco" or "gnocchi."

By the second millennium, this term had become popular in regions like Veneto and the Po valley, referring to pasta morsels resembling wooden knots.

Historically, gnocchi was a simple dish, not typically associated with upscale cuisine.

Made primarily of flour and water, and occasionally some eggs, these small, cylinder-shaped dough pieces were often pressed against uneven surfaces, like the inside of a grater or a fork.

Once prepared, they were boiled and then topped with sauce, butter, or cheese.

This dish holds significance in Venetian, Emilian, and Piedmontese culinary traditions.

There are other variations of "gnocco," such as the Roman style gnocchi (gnocchi alla Romana) made from semolina.

A similar recipe is found in the Ancient Roman times in the book by Apicio " De Res Coquinaria".

There is also the fried version of gnocco fritto from Reggio Emilia, prepared with soft wheat flour cut into thin diamond shapes, fried and served with Parma ham or culatello.

Historically, these little dumplings started as little flour dough bits boiled in water.

This soft wheat pasta can be likened to what the ancient Greeks termed "glue"

We can look at an 18th-century cookbook from an anonymous author in Reggio Emilia to find detailed gnocchi recipes as we recognize them now.

This book catered to the Cassoli counts in Reggio Emilia and features a recipe for Millet Gnocchi with garlic.

Vincenzo Corrado (1734-1836) in his work, "Cuoco Galante," touches upon Cream Gnocchi and Lady's Gnocchi.

Corrado, in 1801, introduced the earliest Italian potato gnocchi recipe.

By the late 19th century, gnocchi transitioned from being a staple in everyday Italian meals to a dish fit for the bourgeois.

Pellegrino Artusi documented this in his work "Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well" (latest edition 1910), where he mentioned, "The gnocchi family is vast."

Artusi listed several variations, from those in broths to those made of potatoes, semolina, or even milk for desserts.

Post-Artusi, gnocchi, including the potato variation, secured its place as a mainstay in Italian culinary arts, giving rise to various toppings from meaty to vegetarian sauces.

FAQ

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