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1
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
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2
Wash the potatoes, prick them with a fork and place them on a sheet pan.
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3
Bake them until very soft, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
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4
(Resist roasting them at a higher temperature to speed up the process--you want the skin and flesh just inside the skin to become crusty.)
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5
Cool them slightly and scoop out the insides.
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6
Rice the scooped potato with a ricer, or mash them with a fork.
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7
Place them in a bowl and cover with a damp cloth to retain their heat.
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8
The potatoes must be used while they are still very warm.
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9
Beat the eggs and yolk lightly together in a small bowl.
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10
Add them to the potatoes along with the flour, rosemary, salt, a few grinds of freshly ground black pepper.
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11
Mix gently with your hands until all the ingredients are well incorporated and the dough is smooth.
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12
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured flat surface.
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13
Lightly knead and add a little more flour if the dough is overly sticky.
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14
Let the dough rest for 10 minutes, uncovered.
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15
Roll the dough into thin 1/2-inch thick logs and cut into 1/2-inch pieces.
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16
Using a generous amount of flour, press each piece against your thumb tip to make a dent or roll it over the back and off the tip of a floured fork tines to make the traditional ridged shape.
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17
Place the finished gnocchi on a lightly floured sheet pan.
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18
Cook them as soon as possible in boiling salted water.
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19
(For every 5 quarts of water add 2 tablespoons of kosher salt.)
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20
Add the gnocchi to the boiling water.
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21
When they rise to the top, let them cook for a minute or two and then remove them with a slotted spoon.
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22
Drain well and toss with butter.
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23
Note: If the gnocchi are not to be cooked right away, they should be frozen.
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24
The gnocchi can be made up to two weeks in advance and frozen on sheet pans.
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25
Once they are frozen solid they can be transferred to a sealable bag or wrapped tightly to avoid freezer burn.
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26
Do not thaw them before cooking or they will stick together.
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27
To cook them, throw the frozen gnocchi directly into the boiling salted water without thawing.
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28
Their cooking time will be slightly longer than unfrozen but their preparation should be completed in the same manner as with fresh gnocchi.
