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Kid's Meals Home | Mario Batali's Homepage on Starchefs
From Mario Batali: Po, Babbo, New York, NY
author: Simple Italian Food: Recipes From My Two Villages; Clarkson Potter, 1998
Basic Gnocchi
My kids both love to be in the kitchen, which makes it a lot of fun to cook for them. Although they're still a little too young to saute mushrooms or dice onions, they're helpful nonetheless. Benno, who is almost three, will put on an apron and stand on a stool next to me, handing me things I need and asking questions. He's also a great help in tasting and adjusting seasoning. Leo, at age one, provides our entertainment while we cook, and likes to put dishes in the dishwasher - and sometimes take them out again.
Benno and Leo are a parent's - and a chef's - dream in that they really go for food that most
kids their age wouldn't touch: spinach, goat's milk yogurt, raw sliced garlic, spicy sauces. The
white bean bruschetta mixture I serve at Po is one of the first foods that Benno ever ate, and
both boys still love it. They're also huge pasta fans, and the gnocchi with oxtails is a
favorite. The soft bitew of the gnocchi in combination with slow-braised meat makes an easy-to
eat dish for young kids, even while they're teething!
Place the whole potatoes in a saucepan with water to cover. Bring to a boil and cook at a low
boil until they are soft, about 45 minutes. While still warm, peel the potatoes and pass them
through a vegetable mill onto a clean pasta board.
Bring about 6 quarts of water to a boil. Set up an ice bath with 6 cups ice water nearby.
Make a well in the center of the potatoes and sprinkle all over with the flour. Break the egg
into the center of the well, add the salt, and, using a fork, stir into the flour and potatoes as if
you were making pasta. Once the egg is mixed in, bring the dough together, kneading gently
until a ball is formed. Knead gently another 4 minutes, until ball is dry to the touch.
Divide the dough into 6 large balls. Roll each ball into three-fourth inch-diameter ropes and
cut the ropes into 1-inch-long pieces. Flick the pieces off of a fork or along the concave side
of a cheese grater to score the sides. Drop the dough pieces into the boiling water and cook
until they float to the surface, about 1 minute. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the gnocchi to
the ice bath. Meanwhile, continue with the remaining dough, forming ropes, cutting 1-inch
pieces, and flicking them off a fork. Continue until all the gnocchi have been cooked and
allow them to sit several minutes in the ice bath.
Drain the gnocchi and transfer to a mixing bowl. Toss with the canola oil and store covered
in the refrigerator for us to 48 hours or until ready to serve.
....
Serves 12
Basic Gnocchi
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