Sara here: “Mita’s gnocchi was the seminal dish of my Tuscan childhood. My brother and I both fell in love with the regular Sunday dish at our neighbor’s house—her homemade eggless potato gnocchi with a meat ragù, often flavored with a few chicken livers from the freshly killed birds that were roasted in the wood-fired oven and consumed later in the meal. That bowl of gnocchi consisted of what seemed like endless layers of gnocchi, grated cheese, and ragù—but not too much ragù. It just coated the gnocchi, adding enough flavor to enhance the potatoes.
“After the first Sunday meal at Mita’s table, when we unknowingly filled up on gnocchi only to be presented with three more abundant courses of food, we learned to stop at one serving of gnocchi if we had any hope of enjoying the rest of the meal. It’s the dish I still eat when I visit and dine with Arnaldo, Mita’s son, and his wife, Maura, who makes a spectacular gnocchi herself. My brother, Nico, was so in love with Mita’s gnocchi that Mita began making them for him the minute he showed up in our village. But I still think I got the better part of the deal because she actually taught me how to make them. I love the rich oxtail ragù served with this even if it’s not what I was fed as a child. But again, be sparing with the ragù if you want to make it authentically Italian.”
Note well that the potatoes must be worked while they are still quite hot. And be prepared to cook, sauce, and serve the gnocchi as soon as they are made. Once made, they will not keep.
SERVES 6
2½ pounds large Yukon gold potatoes
8 ounces unbleached all-purpose flour (1¾ to 2 cups), plus more for the board
Medium-coarse sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
Grated parmigiano-reggiano or pecorino cheese, for garnish (optional)
Set the oven on 425°F.
Prick the potatoes all over with a fork and bake until tender, about 50 minutes.
While the potatoes are still quite hot, remove the skins and push the inside flesh through a ricer or a food mill into a large bowl or mound the flesh up on a clean, lightly floured board. Add 1¾ cups flour and mix it into the potatoes, then knead gently, just until the dough comes together. If necessary, add more flour, a tablespoon at a time, as you knead. The dough should be moist, but it should hold together if you roll a piece between your palms. Shape into a mound and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Set aside to rest for 10 minutes.
Bring about 4 quarts of water to a rolling boil in a large pot and add a large spoonful of salt.
Break off a fistful of dough, leaving the rest under the towel. Dust the board lightly with flour once more. Using the palms of your hands, roll the dough into a rope, about 1 inch in diameter, and cut it into pieces about ⅓ inch long.
Holding your hand flat with fingers together, briskly roll each gnocco back and forth on the board to form little dowel-shape pieces, then roll through a little flour to coat lightly. Transfer to a lightly floured baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough, until all the gnocchi are rolled. Keep them well floured and in a single layer or they will stick together.
Before adding the gnocchi to the boiling water, gently shake them in a wide sieve to remove the excess flour. Drop them into the boiling water, give them a gentle stir, and cook briskly for 3 to 5 minutes. The gnocchi are done when they rise to the surface. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a warm serving bowl. Toss the gnocchi gently with the ragù (see here) and grated cheese, if using, then serve immediately