Gnocchi / Eat your meditation

It is raining. Monty doesn’t care. He wants to go for a walk anyway. I like walking in the rain. It is peaceful and cleansing. We make a fire to make the house nice and cozy for Jim to come home to. He’s been working in the rain all day. 

I feel the pull of the kitchen. It is a place I feel grounded. I miss having dinners with all my kids, our friends. It has been a while now since we have been able to all hang out together. I’ve been cooking just for Jim and me. I miss family, the laughter, and the crowded kitchen. Our kitchen is small and somehow everyone always ends up in it at the same time. I love it. In the kitchen, I feel connected with my family far away as well. My grandmothers are both present. My mother is here, my aunts and cousins, as well as my brother and his family.

My brother Jure's birthday is today and I wish we could be here in the kitchen together drinking wine, chopping veggies, grilling. He is a great chef himself. Happy Birthday, Bro! 

“Cooking Meditation is love. Love for yourself, love for your family or whoever you are cooking for.”

Today I decide to make gnocchi. I will make enough that I can freeze them afterward and give some to each of my kids. I share my love with them through the food they can eat. 

Making and rolling the dough for pasta, bread, or gnocchi is my way to meditate and the best part is, we can eat the product of my meditation. 

What you’ll need for gnocchi: 

2 large russet potatoes

2 -3 eggs depending on size. Some use yolks only, my grandma used the whole egg

 About  75-100 grams of All-purpose flour

Equipment which is handy: 

Ricer

Bench scraper

Gnocchi paddle 

Potatoes Baked, pressed through Ricer and still hot. Bench Scraper and Gnocchi Paddle

Bake potatoes at 350 until soft in the middle about 45 minutes. Scoop the baked flesh and process through ricer while flesh of potato is still hot. Shape a volcano and sprinkle with some flower before you add whole eggs or yolks. Start mixing gently with the bench scraper. Gnocchi are dumplings not pasta, so we don’t actually kneed the dough. We mix it gently adding the flour until it is not sticky but silky and springy soft. Like baby’s bottom.

Sprinkle you surface with flour 

Divide the dough into four parts

Gently roll and stretch out into an inch or so thick sausages

Cut into 1/4 inch wide sections or however big you want your gnocchi to be

Roll into small balls

Roll it gently, cut, shape into balls and roll down the paddle. With practice, they’ll get prettier. I need to practice more

Roll a ball with your thumb down the length of a paddle- there should be a thumbprint in the gnocchi - a lovely place for the sauce in each bite

“The imperfect shape means what is in front of you wasn’t spat out by the machine. You’ve made it by HAND. You’ve made it with LOVE.”

Your thumb imprint is the one you will catch your simple homemade Pomodoro sauce It is pure magic in each bite.

This babies are ready for scooping

The water into which you already added salt is simmering. Add the gnocchi and meditate by watching them float back to the surface. When they pop up, they are done. Scoop them up and transfer into ice-cold water. This makes gnocchi nice and firm. Transfer to a paper towel to dry. If you are not using the entire amount, place on a parchment-lined tray, and freeze. Once they are frozen, you can store them in the freezer bags. 

Saute with butter and garlic till golden brown

You can serve gnocchi as a side or main dish. 

Served with Pomodoro sauce, sprinkled with parmesan as a side dish to a lamb chop

You can sauté them in butter and garlic, basil and sprinkle with parmesan cheese

You can add a Tomato sauce, Alfredo sauce, Mushroom sauce- possibilities are endless