Potato Gnocchi & Pesto alla Genovese
Gnocchi, plural, “n(y)oh-kee”; singular, “gnocco”.
A northern Italian staple of comfort and precision. In Italy, gnocchi are cucina povera — humble food that depends on good technique.
Equipment
- Potato ricer or fine sieve
- Board or bench for rolling ropes
- Knife or scraper
- Large pan
- Slotted spoon
- Pestle and mortar or food processor
Ingredients
Make only what you need and use the dough within 15–20 minutes. Older dough turns heavy.
- Potatoes: 300g Maris Piper, baked or boiled whole with skins on
- Flour: 100g Shipton Mill Pizza & Pasta Type 00 Organic
- Fine salt: 3g
- Extra flour for dusting
Method
- Cook the potatoes whole with skins on. Bake at 180°C for 50–60 minutes, or boil. Don’t peel or cut them first.
- Cool just enough to handle, rice while hot, and spread to steam off. Cold potato makes heavy dough.
- Add salt and flour. Fold gently until it just comes together — never knead.
- Roll into 2cm ropes, cut into bite-size pieces, dust lightly, and cook within around 15–20 minutes.
- Cook in well-salted boiling water until they float. Lift gently and dress with sauce.
Suggested sauce: Pesto alla Genovese
Classic Ligurian pesto — bright, creamy and raw, never heated. Loosen with a spoon of gnocchi cooking water, then toss gently.
Pesto alla Genovese
- Basilico Genovese: 27g
- Olio extra vergine: 20g
- Parmigiano Reggiano: 20g
- Pine nuts: 12g
- Garlic: to taste, start small
- Salt: 1g
If using a pestle and mortar: crush in this order — pine nuts → garlic → basil with a pinch of salt → cheeses → olive oil in a thin stream.
If using a food processor: add everything at once and pulse gently; keep it cool and slightly textured.
Notes from the kitchen
- Floury potatoes, such as Maris Piper, give lighter gnocchi than waxy potatoes.
- Warm, dry potato gives soft dough; cold or wet potato gives heavy dough.
- Work quickly and lightly — good gnocchi taste of potato, not flour.
The bite of gnocchi
Soft and delicate yet held together — gentle resistance outside, like a marshmallow, with a soft crumb inside, like fresh breadcrumbs. In Italian: morbidi ma compatti — soft, yet structured.
What affects the bite
| If you do this… | The gnocchi will be… | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Use too much flour or mix too long | Tough and chewy | Excess gluten gives a pasta-like texture |
| Add too much water or overcook | Mushy and sticky | Structure collapses and absorbs water |
| Get the ratio and gentle mixing right | Soft but holds together | Potato starch and flour set into a light structure |
| Chill or freeze before boiling | More consistent | Pieces firm slightly and cook evenly |
A perfect gnocco holds its shape on the plate and melts in the mouth.
Want to make gnocchi with us?
Recipes help, but gnocchi is all about feel — knowing when the potato is dry enough, when the dough has just come together, and when to stop handling it.