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1
Put the potatoes, whole and unpeeled, in a large pot with cold water covering them by at least 2 inches.
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2
Bring to a steady boil, and cook just until they are easily pierced with a fork or a sharp knife bladedont overcook or let the skins burst.
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3
Lift potatoes from the water, and let them drain briefly.
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4
Peel and press through the ricer or food mill as soon as you can, while theyre still very hot, so their moisture will evaporate.
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5
Spread the riced potatoes in a thin layer on a baking sheet or tray, sprinkle the salt all over, and let them cool and dry for at least 20 minutes, preferably 2 to 3 hours.
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6
To mix the dough, pile the dried potatoes in a large, loose mound on a board or a marble work surface.
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7
Pour the beaten eggs over them, then sprinkle 1 cup of the flour on top.
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8
Using your hands, work in the eggs, mixing and moistening the flour and potatoes.
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9
Gather into a single mass, and knead for several minutes, scraping in sticky bits from the board and your hands.
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10
Incorporate additional flour in small amounts, only as needed, until the dough is smooth, soft, and only slightly sticky.
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11
Avoid adding too much flour, which will make the gnocchi heavy and dry.
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12
Cover the dough with a towel, and form into gnocchi or offelle as soon as possible.
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13
To shape traditional gnocchi, cut the finished dough into three or four pieces.
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14
Dust the work surface and your hands with flour.
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15
Roll one piece under your hands into a thick cylinder, and gradually stretch it to a long rope, about 2/3 inch thick.
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16
With a sharp knife or dough cutter, slice the rope crosswise into 1/2-inch lengths; sprinkle pieces with flour.
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17
Hold a dinner fork, tines downward, at an angle to your work surface.
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18
Place one of the cut sides of a piece of dough against the tines.
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19
With your lightly floured thumb, press into the dough, and at the same time push it off the end of the fork onto a floured board.
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20
It will be hollow and curved where you pressed it, and ridged on the side that rolled off the fork.
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21
Press and roll the other cut pieces into gnocchi, dust them with flour, and set in a single layer on a floured tray, not touching.
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22
Small gnocchi should be cooked (or frozen) as soon as they are all shaped.
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23
Follow the instructions for cooking and dressing offelle with sage butter and grated cheese, page 49.
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24
Potato dough is used a lot in the cucina triestina, whether to make the traditional little dumplings dressed in a sauce or to envelop different fillings.
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25
There are the savory stuffed versions called offelle, and sweet kinds stuffed with fresh or dried prunes or different marmalades, then rolled in bread crumbs, sugar, and cinnamon.
