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1
Cook potatoes and pass through a ricer Cover whole (unpeeled) potatoes in a medium pot with 2 inches of water.
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2
Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife, 35 to 40 minutes.
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3
Drain well, then peel: Holding each potato with a thick, dry kitchen towel (they will be too hot to hold directly), remove the skin with a paring knife.
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4
Immediately pass the potatoes through a ricer.
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5
Spread out on a baking sheet and let cool completely.
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6
Mix dough Turn out potatoes onto a work surface, then pour the egg over the potatoes and sprinkle with 1 1/2 cups of flour and 1 tablespoon salt.
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7
Start to work the mixture with your hands and bring it together to form a dough; then gently knead 4 to 5 minutes, adding more flour (up to 1/2 cup total) as necessary to keep the dough from sticking, until dough is smooth and elastic.
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8
(To check, pinch off a piece and roll into a rope; it should not break apart.)
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9
Pat dough into a rough rectangle, 2 to 3 inches thick.
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10
Cut and shape Line a rimmed baking sheet with a dry clean kitchen towel (or parchment paper) and sprinkle liberally with flour.
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11
Use a bench scraper to divide dough into four to six pieces.
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12
Begin gently rolling each piece under the palms of your hands into a rope, then continue rolling until it is 1/2 inchin diameter.
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13
Use the bench scraper to cut ropes crosswise into 1-inch pieces.
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14
Roll a cut side of each dumpling against the tines of a fork with your thumb (each piece will have ridges on one side and an indentation on the other).
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15
Set gnocchi in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
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16
If not cooking immediately, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 2 hours.
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17
Cook Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then add a generous amount of salt.
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18
Working in small batches, add gnocchi and cook until they float to the top, about 2 minutes.
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19
Remove gnocchi with a slotted spoon and gently shake off excess water before placing in a large pasta bowl.
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20
(If not serving immediately, plunge gnocchi into an ice-water bath to stop the cooking.
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21
Once completely cool, drain thoroughly, toss with a little extra-virgin olive oil, and refrigerate in a covered container for up to 3 hours.
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22
Reheat slowly on the stove, with the serving sauce or melted butter.
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23
Freezing gnocchi is not recommended.)
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24
Toss with pesto while boiling remaining gnocchi.
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25
Serve Once the last batch has been boiled, drained, and tossed with pesto, divide gnocchi among bowls and serve at once, garnished with basil.
