GNOCCHI

Good morning everyone.  Just one more day until the weekend.  And here in California it is predicted to be, what else, HOT.  But I am not complaining, the weather is one of the reasons I love living here.

I have been receiving so many wonderful e-mails from you,saying you like reading my blog and that you are trying the recipes.  I thank all of you.  Today I am going to share a recipe with you for Gnocchi.  Next to my home made Ravioli, these little puffs of luciousness, are one of my favorite things to eat.

When I was a little girl, every Sunday after Mass, I would go with my Father to visit his Mother.  She still lived in the house he was raised in on the West side .  In the city I grew up in, the East side was populated mostly with Polish immigrants, and German immigrants and their families.  The West side was populated with mostly Italian immigrants and their families.  It was "Little Italy".  As a very young child I used to think I had been to Italy when we would go to visit her.

Even though she was very old at the time (I thought she must be 100) every Sunday when we got there she would be cooking sauce and home made Gnocchi.  It was what I dreamed of all week.  By Friday I could actually smell the sauce and taste those wonderful little pillows.  It is one of those childhood memories that you never forget.  She died when I was 12 years old.  She was not 100 but in her late eighties.

My Father took over the making of the Gnocchi and today I still love them as much as ever.  Everyone in the family loves them as much and I make them often.  The Gnocchi that we make are made with cooked potatoes that are then put through a ricer.  This together with flour, eggs and salt produces the delectable dish.  Since we are all weight conscious these days, I make them slightly different.  (sometimes :) .

Here is a lighter version without the potatoes, and no one can ever tell the difference.  They are light and most of all you can have them on the table in less an hour.  It is a simple recipe.

One container of Ricotta (2 cups)
2 cups of flour
2 eggs
1/2 tsp of salt
Mix together and add about another 1/4 cup of flour so the dough is not sticky.  Form into a ball, and cut off pieces about as big as a baseball.  On a floured surface, roll out with your hands to form a long rope and cut into about 1/2 " pieces that are as big around as your thumb.  Roll each piece into a little ball and gently press into it with your thumb to make an indentation.  Continue until they are all done.  As you make them, line them up on a baking sheet dusted with flour.  If you are making them ahead for another day, put the cookie sheet into your freezer and freeze the Gnocchi.  When they are completely frozen, put them into a zip lock bag for future use.  If you are going to use them right away, put the cookie sheet in the refrigerator while you get the sauce ready and the water boiling.

Have a large pot salted water ready and boiling.  Drop in the Gnocchi and stir gently.  When they float to the top, cook for another minute and they are done.  They take only minutes to cook.  Drain and top with your favorite sauce.  Once you see how easy they are to make, you will make them often.  This recipe will serve 3 people.  Doubling the recipe is easy, two cups, two cups, 2 eggs. Four cups, four cups, four eggs.  I have made 6 or 7 batches at one time for as many as 12 people.

Tomorrow I will give you a recipe for a very easy, fresh sauce that you can make and have cooking while you make the Gnocchi.

Ciao for now.  Thanks for dropping in today.
Grayce