Matzo Gnocchi with Brown Butter and Sage
- Level: Intermediate
- Yield: 6 to 8 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 8 servings
- Calories
- 399
- Total Fat
- 20
- Saturated Fat
- 12
- Carbohydrates
- 49
- Dietary Fiber
- 4
- Sugar
- 1
- Protein
- 9
- Cholesterol
- 116
- Sodium
- 572
- Total: 2 hr 30 min
- Active: 1 hr 30 min
Ingredients
Gnocchi:
3 pounds whole russet potatoes, scrubbed
Kosher salt
2 1/2 cups matzo meal
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
Sauce:
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
8 sage leaves, cut into thin ribbons
1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 ounces Parmesan, shaved with a vegetable peeler (about 1 1/2 cups)
Directions
- For the gnocchi: Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover by 1 inch with salted water. Bring to a boil, adjust the heat and simmer until they are tender when pierced with a fork or the tip of a paring knife, about 25 minutes. Drain the potatoes and set them aside until cool enough to handle.
- Remove the potato skins with a paring knife and cut the potatoes into large chunks. Pass the chunks through a potato ricer (see Cook's Note) onto a clean work surface. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of salt over the potatoes; cool completely.
- Meanwhile, pulse the matzo meal in a spice grinder or blender until very finely ground (it should be similar in texture to flour). Line a baking sheet with parchment.
- Sprinkle 2 cups of the matzo meal over the cooled potatoes. Pour the eggs over the matzo meal and begin to work the mixture together with a fork. Once the mixture begins to clump together, use your hands to gently knead until the ingredients are fully combined, about 2 minutes. Gather the dough together into a smooth ball and let rest for about 15 minutes.
- Lightly dust a work surface with a some of the reserved matzo meal. Cut the dough into 8 equal pieces. Working with one piece at a time, roll the dough into a 12-inch rope. Use a knife or bench scraper to cut the rope into 3/4-inch pieces; place the cut gnocchi on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough. Gnocchi can be prepared to this point up to 2 days ahead; wrap the baking sheet in plastic and refrigerate.
- For the sauce: Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until brown flecks appear and the butter smells nutty, 5 to 6 minutes. Sprinkle in the sage and nutmeg and continue to cook, swirling the pan, until the butter is golden brown, about 1 minute more. Be careful not to let the butter burn. Remove from the heat and season with salt and black pepper; set aside while you cook the gnocchi.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Working in batches, add about a third of the gnocchi at a time and cook until they begin to float and the water returns to a rapid simmer, about 2 minutes. Use a slotted spoon or spider to transfer the gnocchi to the skillet with the butter sauce as they are cooked. Reserve 1/4 cup of the gnocchi cooking water.
- Toss the gnocchi gently in the butter sauce. Add half of the cheese and 2 tablespoons of the reserved cooking water and toss again; add more water if necessary so the sauce coats the gnocchi. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
Cook’s Note
Using a ricer ensures that the potatoes are smooth and light, not lumpy or gluey, so that they mix nicely into the rest of the ingredients and the gnocchi turn out tender.