Potato Gnocchi with Brown Butter and Sage
Inspired by techniques from NYT Cooking and Serious Eats.
This follows the same potato gnocchi method as our classic recipe, with the butter-tomato sauce swapped for a simple brown butter and crisp sage glaze.
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Method
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Equipment
- baking tray
- potato ricer or food mill
- bench scraper
- fine sieve
- 2 baking trays dusted with flour or semolina
- large pot (at least 5 litres)
- slotted spoon or spider strainer
- large frying pan (28 cm)
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 479 kcal |
| Protein | 11.8 g |
| Carbohydrate | 66.4 g |
| of which sugars | 1.9 g |
| of which free sugars | 0 g |
| Fat | 18.9 g |
| of which saturates | 11.4 g |
| Fibre | 5.7 g |
| Salt | 1.39 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
2.5 g High Protein needs ≥ 10 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
Metric · 4 servings
Gnocchi
- 1 kg floury potatoes (such as Maris Piper, King Edward or russet), scrubbed
- 1 large egg yolk
- 140 g plain flour, plus extra for dusting you may need 10-20 g less or more
- 3 g fine sea salt or table salt about ½ tsp
Brown butter
- 75 g unsalted butter
- 16 fresh sage leaves
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
Pasta water
- 40 g fine salt for 4 litres of pasta water (1%) about 6¾ tsp; most of it goes down the drain
To serve
- 30 g Parmesan, finely grated
- 1
Bake the potatoes. Preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan) at least 20 minutes ahead, prick the potatoes all over and bake directly on the rack for 50-60 minutes, until a knife slides in with no resistance. Baking rather than boiling keeps the potato dry, which is what keeps the final dumplings light.
- 2
Rice the potatoes. While still hot, halve the potatoes and scoop the flesh through a ricer onto the worktop in a thin layer, then let it stand for 5 minutes to steam off a little moisture while it's still warm.
- 3
Bring the dough together. Sprinkle over the salt and egg yolk, sieve over two-thirds of the flour and cut it in with a bench scraper. Gather and fold-press the mixture 4-5 times, adding the remaining flour only until it just holds together and feels barely tacky, avoiding kneading or smearing, which would overwork the gluten and make the gnocchi rubbery.
- 4
Test the dough. Boil a single small piece to check it holds together; if it falls apart, fold in another 1-2 tbsp of flour before shaping the rest.
- 5
Shape the gnocchi. Cut the dough into 6 pieces, roll each into a 2cm rope with light hands, then cut into 2cm lengths. Roll each piece down a fork or gnocchi board to leave ridges that will hold the sauce, then lay them on floured trays without touching.
- 6
Brown the butter. Just before cooking the gnocchi, melt the butter in a frying pan over medium heat and swirl for 3-4 minutes, until the milk solids turn hazelnut-brown and the butter smells distinctly nutty. Add the sage leaves and fry for 30 seconds until crisp, then lower the heat so the butter doesn't carry on darkening.
- 7
Cook until they float. Bring 4 litres of water to a rolling boil with the 40g of salt and cook the gnocchi in 2 batches. They're ready when they float, after about 2 minutes, then give them 30 seconds more before lifting them straight into the brown butter with a slotted spoon, keeping a mug of the cooking water.
- 8
Glaze and finish. Add the gnocchi to the brown butter with 2 tbsp of the cooking water and shake the pan over medium heat for 1 minute, so they pick up a light colour at the edges. The added water stops the butter from burning while it forms a light, glossy emulsion around the gnocchi. Season with pepper and serve with Parmesan.
Storage
Shaped, uncooked gnocchi freeze well on a floured tray for up to 2 months and cook straight from frozen with an extra minute. Cooked gnocchi keep in the fridge for up to 2 days; reheat gently in a pan until piping hot. Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
