Potato Gnocchi Friuli Style
Gnocchi in Friuli are made with the same potato-and-flour dough as the round, ridged gnocchi made elsewhere in Italy, the kind we are most familiar with. But Friuli-style gnocchi have a couple of tempting distinctions. First, you’ll find that their shape is different—they are smooth, slender cylinders that are actually faster and easier to form than round gnocchi. This shape gives you an option in finishing the gnocchi: you can boil, drain, and dress them just as they come out of the cooking pot, or, after they’re boiled and drained, you can gently fry them in butter until golden and crisp on the outside—and then dress them—having gained another layer of flavor and texture. Second—and unique to gnocchi and other pastas in Friuli—is the dressing of melted butter, sugar, cinnamon, and smoked dried ricotta. This melding of sweet, salty, spicy, and smoky may seem exotic at first but will quickly captivate you. Milk products like ricotta are frequently preserved by smoking in Friuli, and smoked ricotta (drier than fresh) is a common household product. It is available here now, but if you can’t find it, use ricotta salata as a good alternative (see Sources, page 340). And if you have a smoker, you can coldsmoke the ricotta salata, for a flavor closer to what is enjoyed in Friuli. You can dress gnocchi friulani with other sauces—basil pesto, tomato—or serve with another regional dish like Beef Goulash, page 58.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 6
Ingredients
For the Gnocchi Dough
For Cooking and Dressing the Gnocchi
Recommended Equipment
Preparation
Step 1
To make the gnocchi dough, put the potatoes, whole and unpeeled, in a large pot with cold water covering them by at least 2 inches. Bring to a steady boil, and cook just until they are easily pierced with a fork or a sharp knife blade—don’t overcook or let the skins burst.
Step 2
Lift potatoes from the water, and let them drain briefly. Peel and press through the ricer or food mill as soon as you can, while they’re still very hot, so their moisture will evaporate. Spread the riced potatoes in a thin layer on a baking sheet or tray, sprinkle the salt all over, and let them cool and dry for at least 20 minutes, or for a couple of hours if possible. The drier the potatoes, the lighter your gnocchi dough will be.
Step 3
To mix the dough, pile the dried potatoes in a large, loose mound on a board or a marble work surface. Pour the beaten eggs over them, then sprinkle 1 cup of the flour on top. Using your hands, work in the eggs, mixing and moistening the flour and potatoes. Gather into a single mass, and knead for several minutes, scraping in sticky bits from the board and your hands. Incorporate additional flour in small amounts, only as needed, until the dough is smooth, soft, and only slightly sticky. Avoid adding too much flour, which will make the gnocchi heavy and dry. Keep the dough covered, and form the gnocchi as soon as possible.
Step 4
To form the long gnocchi, cut the finished dough into three or four equal pieces. Dust the work surface and your hands with flour. Roll each piece under your hands into a thick cylinder, and gradually stretch it to a long rope, 1/2 to 2/3 inch thick. With a sharp knife or a dough cutter, slice crosswise in 2 1/2-inch lengths. Sprinkle the pieces with flour, and lay them out in a single layer, not touching, on a lightly floured tray.
Step 5
Meanwhile, bring 8 quarts of water with the 2 tablespoons salt to a rolling boil. (If not cooking right away, freeze the gnocchi on the tray, then pack in airtight containers.)
Step 6
To make brown butter for the dressing, put 9 tablespoons of the butter in the small, heavy pan, and set it over medium heat. Let the butter melt, and then simmer until all the water is cooked off and it starts to darken. When the butter is light brown, with a nutty fragrance, take the pan off the heat.
Step 7
Drop the remaining 3 tablespoons butter in the big skillet, and set over low heat, just melting the butter, then keep warm. Stir the sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl.
Step 8
Drop the gnocchi into the pot when the water is at a rolling boil. Stir well, cover the pot, and return to the boil over high heat, stirring a couple of times. Boil the gnocchi for about 3 minutes—they should have risen to the surface—and taste one to check for doneness.
Step 9
When the gnocchi are cooked through, lift them from the water with a spider, drain for a moment, and spill into the skillet. Raise the heat a bit, shake the pan, and toss the gnocchi in the butter. Cook for a couple of minutes to evaporate excess water and toast very lightly, or fry for a few minutes more, turning and tossing now and then, until the gnocchi are crisp and streaked golden brown. Heap portions of gnocchi in warm pasta bowls. Stir the browned butter, and drizzle a tablespoon or more over each serving, then scatter a couple spoons of the shredded cheese and generous sprinkles of cinnamon sugar on top. Serve right away, with more of the dressings at the table.
