Biba's Northern Italian Cooking - Biba Caggiano [28]
Break dough into pieces the size of large eggs. Shape pieces into rolls about the thickness of your thumb. Cut rolls into 1-inch pieces. Hold a fork with its tines resting on a work surface at a 45° angle and the inside curve toward you.Take a dumpling roll and press it with your index finger against the outside curve of the fork at the tip end. Quickly slide dumpling up and along the length of the tines, pressing with index finger. Remove finger and let dumpling fall back onto work surface. Grooves made by fork and finger indentation will absorb any sauce served with dumplings. Repeat with remaining dumpling rolls. Arrange dumplings on a floured tray or large plate.
Fill a large saucepan two-thirds full with salted water. Bring water to a boil. Add oil and dumplings. When dumplings come to surface of water, cook 10 to 12 seconds. If dumplings remain in water any longer they will absorb water and become too soft. Remove dumplings with a slotted spoon or strainer, draining against side of saucepan. Place in a warm dish. Serve hot with butter and Parmesan cheese or your favorite sauce.
Variation
Potatoes can be boiled instead of baked. Do not puncture potatoes before cooking or they will absorb water, making it necessary to add extra flour to dumpling mixture.
POTATO DUMPLINGS WITH GORGONZOLA SAUCE
Gnocchi di Patate al Gorgonzola
There is no substitute for the distinctive flavor of Gorgonzola.
MAKES 8 SERVINGS
Basic Potato Dumplings, page 78
¼ cup butter
½ cup whipping cream
¼ pound Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Mix and shape Basic Potato Dumplings.
Melt butter in a large skillet.When butter foams, add cream and bring to a boil. Add Gorgonzola cheese. Stir and cook 3 to 4 minutes over low heat, until cheese is melted and cream begins to thicken. Season with salt and pepper.
Fill a large saucepan two-thirds full with salted water. Bring water to a boil. Add oil and dumplings.When dumplings come to surface of water, cook 10 to 12 seconds.
Remove dumplings with a slotted spoon or strainer, draining against side of saucepan. Place dumplings in sauce. Gently stir in Parmesan cheese. Cook 30 to 40 seconds or until dumplings are coated with sauce. Serve immediately.
POTATO DUMPLINGS WITH PESTO SAUCE
Gnocchi di Patate col Pesto
For perfect dumplings, use starchy potatoes not waxy ones.
MAKES 8 SERVINGS
Basic Potato Dumplings, page 78
½ cup Pesto Sauce, page 205
10 whole walnuts
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons butter
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Mix and shape Basic Potato Dumplings. Prepare Pesto Sauce and let stand at room temperature. Chop walnuts very fine.
Fill a large saucepan two-thirds full with salted water. Bring water to a boil. Add oil and dumplings.When dumplings come to surface of water, cook 10 to 12 seconds.
Remove dumplings with a slotted spoon or strainer, draining against side of saucepan. Place on a warm platter. Add butter, Pesto Sauce and chopped walnuts; mix gently. Serve immediately with Parmesan cheese.
RICOTTA DUMPLINGS WITH MIXED MUSHROOMS AND PROSCIUTTO SAUCE
Gnocchi di Ricotta ai Funghi Misti e Prosciutto
Mushrooms cooked this way, become even more flavorful—great over gnocchi or pasta.
MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS
1 pound whole-milk ricotta
1½ cups all-purpose unbleached flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Mixed Mushrooms and Prosciutto Sauce
⅓ cup olive oil
¾ pound mixed mushrooms, such as
white cultivated mushrooms, brown
mushrooms, chanterelles or shiitake,
wiped clean and thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
4 anchovy fillets, chopped
¼ pound sliced prosciutto, page 4, cut
into small strips
½ cup dry white wine
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
In a large bowl, combine ricotta with flour and salt; mix well with your hands to incorporate. Put the mixture on a wooden board and knead gently into a ball. At this point the