Home-Made Gnocchi W/ Cheese Sauce

1. 1

   Bake the pricked potatoes for an hour in a 425F oven. Leave to cool for 15 minutes, then peel and mash or put through a ricer.

2. 2

   Mix in the egg yolks and parmesan cheese, then gradually stir in the flour. When the mixture gets too dry to use a spoon, work with your hands. Once a loose dough forms, transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead gently. Work in enough extra flour to give a soft, pliable dough that is damp to the touch but not sticky.

3. 3

   Divide the dough into six portions. Working with one portion at a time, roll out on a floured surface to make a rope about 1 1/2 cm thick. Cut the rope into 1 1/2 cm lengths. Repeat this step for the remaining dough.

4. 4

   Once everything has been rolled and cut, put the gnocchi in a floured baking tray and chill in the refrigerator to set for at least 30 minutes. This helps in retaining their shape. It also gives you time to prepare the ingredients for the cheese sauce.

5. 5

   Bring a large pot of salted water into a boil. Add the gnocchi in batches, about 20 at a time. Stir gently and return to the boil. Cook for 1 - 2 minutes, or until they rise to the surface. Remove them with a slotted spoon, drain, put into the pan of hot cheese sauce then toss. Serve with shaved parmesan and freshly grated black pepper.

6. 6

   Put a pan on low heat, add the butter, milk and all the grated cheese and whisk to avoid curdling. Add the herbs and simmer for about 10 minutes, whisking or stirring constantly to avoid curdling. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Remove the stalks of herbs, they've done their job already.

* Per serving · 4 servings · Values may vary.