Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb Idaho or other starchy potatoes
- Kosher salt, as needed
- 1 cup all-purpose or “00” flour, or as needed
- 1 large egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (2 oz), plus more for serving
- Pinch of grated nutmeg
- 8 oz Taleggio, cut into strips
Directions
- Put the potatoes in a pot and add enough cold water to cover them by about 2 inches. Add enough salt to make the water taste salty and bring it to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. Cook until the potatoes are easy to pierce with a wooden skewer (the time will depend on the size of the potatoes). Drain the potatoes and dry them in the pot over low heat, about 3 minutes. Remove the skins and puree though a food mill or potato ricer onto a lightly floured work surface.
- Gather the potatoes into a mound and make a well in the center. Surround the well with half of the flour. Add the egg, egg yolk, Parmigiano-Reggiano, ½ teaspoon salt, and nutmeg to the well.
- Mix the ingredients by hand to form a soft dough. If necessary, add more of the flour, a little at a time, until the dough has the correct consistency. Make a few test gnocchi, and adjust the dough if necessary with additional flour or seasoning.
- Roll the dough into 2-inch-thick ropes and make a slit down center of each log to hold the strips of Taleggio. Place the cheese in the center and pinch the dough so that the cheese will not escape once in the water simmering. Cut 1-inch-long gnocchi and pinch the ends of the gnocchi closed around the cheese. Once shaped, the gnocchi can be reserved on a floured baking sheet, loosely covered, in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours.
- To cook the gnocchi, fill a deep pot two-thirds full with cold water and place over high heat. Add salt to taste and bring the water to a boil.
- Add the gnocchi and cook uncovered at a gentle boil until they rise to the surface and are cooked through, 2 to 4 minutes depending upon their size. (To be certain, taste one of the gnocchi.) Use a slotted spoon to lift the cooked gnocchi out of the water.
- Serve the gnocchi in a heated serving bowl or individual pasta plates topped with a sauce (see Note), passing additional Parmigiano-Reggiano on the side.
Chef’s Note:
After the gnocchi are drained, try this sauce: Heat about 4 tablespoons unsalted butter in a sauté pan over medium heat until it is melted, foamy, and has a nutty aroma, about 2 minutes. Add 12 small sage leaves and 1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts. When the sage leaves are crisp, after about 1 minute, pour this mixture over the gnocchi and garnish with shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano or pecorino.
