Chef De Carlo’s recipe for gnocchi is fantastic with the heady Wild Boar Ragu, but is equally delicious with a simple tomato sauce or a sage brown butter sauce.
What to buy: While we tested this recipe with all-purpose flour and still got stellar results, Chef De Carlo uses an Italian variety known as Tipo 00 (double zero), a hard wheat flour commonly used to make pasta. It’s available online at Forno Bravo.
Grana Padano is a dry grating cheese that is similar to Parmigiano-Reggiano, which is a suitable substitute.
Game plan: The gnocchi can be made up to 3 days in advance. Simply cool them completely, store them refrigerated in sealable plastic bags, and reheat them in simmering water as needed.
This recipe was featured as part of our Modern Potluck story.
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Coarsely grate the cooked potatoes through the large holes of a box grater. (You will have about 6 cups.)
Combine grated potato, ricotta, half the Grana Padano cheese, flour, sage, salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Mix by hand until large, moist lumps form and no dry flour remains, about 7 minutes.
Turn mixture onto a clean work surface and gently knead until it becomes uniformly moist and doesn’t crack open while being pressed on, about 4 minutes. Form into a ball.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Divide dough into 12 pieces about 6 ounces each. Roll each piece into a long cigar shape about 21 inches long and 1 inch wide. Cut each cigar into 1- to 1-1/2-inch-long pieces. Set gnocchi on a lightly floured baking sheet in a single layer, place a clean towel over the first layer, lightly flour the towel, and lay second layer on top.
Before cooking gnocchi, gather the necessary equipment: a baking sheet drizzled with olive oil, a bamboo skimmer or slotted spoon, and a wooden spoon.
Drop gnocchi into the boiling water in batches, about 4 cups at a time. Stir gently with the wooden spoon, making sure the dumplings don’t stick to the bottom of the pot. Cook gnocchi until they begin floating to the top, about 4 minutes. Remove with the skimmer to the prepared baking sheet.
Repeat cooking process with remaining gnocchi, making sure to allow the water to return to a boil before adding the next batch.
Add cooked gnocchi to the hot Wild Boar Ragu. Gently stir gnocchi to coat them with the sauce, and top with the remaining Grana Padano cheese.
Note: To cook the potatoes, peel them and place in a large pot. Add enough cold water to cover, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are completely tender, about 25 minutes. Drain the potatoes and allow to cool.
Beverage pairing: Frescobaldi Nipozzano Riserva Chianti Rùfina, Italy. A solid Chianti like this one comes from Tuscany, where cinghiale (wild boar) is a signature dish. So the wine with its dark fruit flavors of plum and blackberry and a slight hint of game has the lift and the depth to be a lip-smacking accompaniment to this pasta.
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