Homemade Potato Gnocchi with Parmigiano Reggiano

Something about a large plate filled with thick, soft dough just brings a warm smile to my face. My belly feels it, too. And the feeling gets better when I know that I have prepared it with my own two hands. This special dish is called the Potato Gnocchi served with a Cilantro Butter Sauce. We are preparing it with none other than Parmigiano Reggiano.

This recipe was first attempted at the Biltmore Culinary Academy. It is a simple comfort food, but you may be surprised at the intricate handwork that goes into the preparation. It is all in the wrist!

Lets start off with the key ingredients: Idaho potatoes (ones you are likely to find at your local Publix). Before you start dabbling into the cheese, have these baked and mashed. Then bring in 1 cup of ricotta cheese, and 1 cup of grated Parmigiano Reggiano. And the fun begins.

Here is the full list of ingredients for your convenience:

2 Idaho potatoes baked and mashed
1-cup ricotta cheese
1-cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
1 1/2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

¼ bunch of cilantro leaves (pureed in a blender with the ricotta)
2 large eggs
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
Semolina flour, for dusting

Kosher salt

One of the most enjoyable moments of making gnocchi is watching everyone attempt to make the ridges on the dough. Some call it an art, others have a natural inclination towards it, while still it is believed that practice makes perfect. The good news is that there is no one-way to get it right. As long as each piece is rolled out to about the same size, the rest is just superficial.

We decided to share this recipe from the Biltmore Culinary Academy with you because we enjoyed it so much ourselves. The bold flavors from the cheeses are there to accentuate the herbs, and the small Italian dumplings make an excellent choice on any night of the week.

This is exactly how we made it:

1. Combine the mashed potatoes (still warm) with the cilantro-ricotta cheese mix, Parmigiano Reggiano, olive oil, eggs and 1-teaspoon of salt with a whisk in a large mixing bowl.
2. Add the all-purpose flour in 3 parts, stirring with a rubber spatula.
3. Bring the dough together in a ball and cut off one-quarter of it. Dust the work surface with all-purpose flour to prevent sticking, and roll the cut-off piece of dough into a dowel shape about 5/8 inch in diameter.
4. Cut the dowel into 5/8-inch pieces.
5. Dust some parchment paper with semolina flour and place the gnocchi on it to prevent sticking.
6. Repeat with the rest of the dough, quarter by quarter.
7. Cook the gnocchi in the boiling water for 2 minutes or until they float.
8. Serve tossed with a bit of the Lime-cilantro butter sauce

These cloud-like pillows of goodness are sure to fill all hearts around the dining room table. We hope you try this recipe at home and share your photos with us!