Ñoqui / Gnocchi

In a busy hustle, bustle world like the one most of us live in, it's far easier to jet down to the shops or supermarket and pick up prepared food as opposed to spending time in the kitchen, cooking. But when you have the time and you want to spend it making something extra special or you want to enjoy kitchen time with your kids, making your own pasta, ñoqui or gnocchi is definitely the way to go.
These ñoquis / gnocchis are light, fluffy and very tasty and a smash hit with kids.
Start off by boiling potatoes (3 big potatoes makes enough ñoquis / gnocchis to feed four). Once soft, pour into a strainer and allow to cool and drain thoroughly. Mash the potatoes, add a fist full of diced parsley and a good amount of grated nutmeg. Add one egg and mix everything by hand. Now start adding flour until a firm ball forms.
Next, dust your work surface with flour, break a fist full of the dough off and, using both hands, roll out into a long snake-like shape, about the thickness of your thumb. Repeat this process until all the dough has been rolled out.
Next, cut the snake-like dough into 3cm pieces. At this stage they will resemble little pillows.
The following step is optional but I always do it as it (A) makes the ñoquis / gnocchis look the way they should and (B) is pretty cool. Take the little pillowed ñoquis / gnocchis and place your middle finger in the centre of the pillow and in one motion, roll it toward you, so that a dent forms in the ñoqui / gnocchi (where the sauce will lay) and it forms like a sea shell. For a greater challenge, you could use your thumb and roll the little pillows down the back of a fork to make the outside lined. Again, this is optional.
At this stage your ñoquis / gnocchis are ready to be cooked. Bring a big (deep) pot of water (with salt and oil) to the boil and drop your ñoquis / gnocchis into the boiling water. Within about a minute or two, the ñoquis / gnocchis will start to float to the surface, showing that they are done. Accompany with the sauce of your choice.
Check out my Facebook page: Simple Foodies
Follow me on Instagram: johncavernelis