Old Skool Gnocchi Recipe

Bake or boil potatoes

Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F) if baking. Wash potatoes and prick with a fork. Bake whole for 45–60 minutes until tender, or boil whole in salted water 30–40 minutes until fork-tender. Baking yields drier potatoes and lighter gnocchi.

Rice or mash potatoes

While still hot, halve the potatoes and scoop flesh into a ricer or use a fine grater. If you don't have a ricer, mash thoroughly until very smooth. Spread the riced potato on a clean work surface and let steam for 2–3 minutes to remove excess moisture.

Form dough

Sprinkle the riced potatoes with 1 tsp salt and about 1 3/4 cups of the flour. Make a well, add the beaten egg, and gently incorporate with your hands or a bench scraper. Add remaining flour a little at a time only as needed until a soft, slightly tacky but not sticky dough forms. Avoid overworking—mix just until it holds together.

Shape gnocchi

Divide dough into 4 portions. Roll each into a rope about 2 cm (3/4 in) thick on a lightly floured surface. Cut into 2 cm pieces. If desired, roll each piece over the tines of a fork or a gnocchi board to create ridges. Lightly dust finished gnocchi with flour and arrange on a floured tray.

Cook gnocchi

Bring a large pot of salted water to a gentle boil. Cook gnocchi in batches so they have room. Fresh gnocchi are done when they float (about 1–2 minutes after rising). Remove with a slotted spoon into a warm bowl while you finish the rest.

Sauté aromatics and mushrooms

Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add butter and olive oil. When the butter foams, add the shallot and cook 1–2 minutes until translucent. Add the sliced mushrooms in a single layer if possible and let them sear undisturbed 3–4 minutes to develop color. Stir, then add the minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Deglaze

Add the white wine or 1 tablespoon stock to deglaze the pan, scraping any browned bits from the bottom. Let the liquid reduce by half, about 1–2 minutes.

Make cream sauce

Reduce heat to medium-low. Pour in the heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in the mascarpone a spoonful at a time until fully incorporated and silky. Add the truffle paste or start with half the truffle oil (you can adjust later). Stir in chopped thyme, parsley, 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Simmer gently 2–3 minutes until sauce thickens slightly. Taste and adjust seasoning; add more truffle if desired but add sparingly—truffle is potent.

Finish sauce with cheese

Remove pan from heat and stir in about half (or to taste) of the grated Parmesan so the sauce becomes glossy and cohesive. Keep sauce warm over lowest heat or a warm towel-covered pan while completing the dish.

Combine gnocchi and sauce: Add cooked gnocchi to the pan with the warm mushroom-truffle mascarpone sauce. Gently toss over low heat for 1 minute so gnocchi absorb some sauce and are evenly coated. If the sauce is too thick, add 1–2 tablespoons of the reserved gnocchi cooking water to loosen.

Plate and garnish: Divide gnocchi among warmed plates. Sprinkle remaining grated Parmesan on top, drizzle a little extra-virgin olive oil or a few drops of truffle oil if using, and finish with chopped parsley. Serve immediately.