Homemade Gnocchi

I regularly use this recipe to make homemade gnocchi out of leftover mashed potato.  My children get sick of vegetable or fish cakes so this makes good use of rather unattractive leftover cold mashed potato.

You can flavour the gnocchi any way you like, however I tend to leave mine plain, then use a really rich and flavoursome sauce.  Give them a go, get kids making them too, they love mixing and shaping them.

about 2 cups leftover mashed potatoes

1 large free range egg, lightly beaten

1-2 Tbsp plain flour, plus extra for dusting 

Put the leftover mashed potato in a bowl and mix in the lightly beaten egg.  Stir in enough flour to form a soft dough.  Tip out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently for a couple of minutes.  Don't overwork the dough though, or it'll become tough.

Divide the mixture into four equal portions, and roll each into a sausage shape. Cut each long sausage into pieces about 1 1/4 inch (3cm) long. Use the back of a fork to make a ridged pattern on each piece (sometimes I do and sometimes I can't be bothered).

photo by avlxyz on Flickr

Cook the gnocchi in a large pot of boiling salted water for 2-3 minutes.  When they float gracefully to the surface, they are ready.  Scoop out the cooked gnocchi using a slotted spoon and serve smothered in your favourite sauce.