Little Clouds of Potato Happiness

The trouble with eating your first gnocchi, or more specifically gnocchi ala Romana in Italy, is that everything you try when you come back to the States largely pales in comparison. It has been more than a decade since I devoured this treat in Trastevere on a regular basis, but it is a taste that lingers. I occasionally find myself duped into picking up an allegedly primo brand of dried gnocchi at a specialty store or event splurging at the pasta counter at Whole Foods. However, they all disappoint. Whether dressed in a vodka sauce, bolognese, or simple tomato sauce they never live up to the food memory.

Emboldened for no good reason other than time, when I came across Cook's Illustrated (tired of me mentioning their recipes yet?) for potato gnocchi with brown butter and sage, I thought why not. This did require me to go out and purchase a potato ricer (takes up less space than the other alternative: a food mill).

The headline? Wow that's a very handy kitchen tool. I have no idea what else I will use it for, but for this recipe it was an imperative. The result was awesome. Full unadulterated food awesomeness. The recipe is shockingly simple and straight forward. The most time intensive piece was rolling out and cutting the pieces, which really wasn't all that long. And their trick for creating the ridges? So simple.

And while this is certainly not a true ala Romana take, it is absolutely fancy dinner party, holiday deliciousness, anytime you need a fix worthy.

Serves 2 to 3 as a main dish, or 4 to 6 as an appetizer

For the most accurate measurements, weigh the potatoes and flour. After processing, you may have slightly more than the 3 cups (16 ounces) of potatoes recquired for this recipe. Discard any extra or set aside for another use.

Ingredients

Gnocchi  

• 2 pounds russet potatoes
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon (4 ounces) all-purpose flour, plus extra for the counter
• 1 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon salt 

Sauce  

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
• 1 small shallot, minced
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh sage
• 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. FOR THE GNOCCHI: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Poke each potato 8 times with paring knife over entire surface. Microwave potatoes until slightly softened at ends, about 10 minutes, flipping potatoes halfway through cooking. Transfer potatoes directly to oven rack and bake until skewer glides easily through flesh and potatoes yield to gentle pressure, 18 to 20 minutes.
2. Holding each potato with potholder or kitchen towel, peel with paring knife. Process potatoes through ricer or food mill onto rimmed baking sheet. Gently spread potatoes into even layer and let cool for 5 minutes.
3. Transfer 3 cups (16 ounces) warm potatoes to bowl. Using fork, gently stir in egg until just combined. Sprinkle flour and 1 teaspoon salt over potato mixture. Using fork, gently combine until no pockets of dry flour remain. Press mixture into rough ball, transfer to lightly floured counter, and gently knead until smooth but slightly sticky, about 1 minute, lightly dusting counter with flour as needed to prevent sticking.
4. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and dust liberally with flour. Cut dough into 8 pieces. Lightly dust counter with flour. Gently roll piece of dough into ½-inch-thick rope, dusting with flour to prevent sticking. Cut rope into ¾-inch lengths. Holding fork with tines facing down in 1 hand, press each dough piece cut side down against tines with thumb of other hand to create indentation. Roll dough down tines to form ridges on sides. If dough sticks, dust thumb or fork with flour. Transfer formed gnocchi to sheets and repeat with remaining dough.
5.  FOR THE SAUCE: Melt butter in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat, swirling occasionally, until butter is browned and releases nutty aroma, about 11/2 minutes. Off heat, add shallot and sage, stirring until shallot is fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in lemon juice and salt; cover to keep warm.
6. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add remaining 1 tablespoon salt. Using parchment paper as sling, gently lower gnocchi from 1 sheet into water and cook until firm and just cooked through, about 90 seconds (gnocchi should float to surface after about 1 minute). Using slotted spoon, transfer cooked gnocchi to skillet with sauce. Repeat with remaining gnocchi. Gently toss gnocchi with sauce and serve.

Betty Crocker That's Who

Before the oven. Too busy eating after.

It turns out that when it comes to apple pie, Betty Crocker is a legit source. Of all the various recipes I've tried over the years, I keep coming back to her French Apple Pie recipe every time. It's simple and always comes out just right. I made it with honey crisp apples this time because it was what I picked up at the orchard.

Usually I use a much tarter apple for baking, but this actually came out with just enough bite and sweetness. I also use a lot of apples. It calls for eight cups, I use eight whole apples which usually makes for a tall, but delicious pie.

I also made it in my very fancy new metal pie plate from the Culinary Diplomacy kick off. Perhaps it was the diplomatic mojo in the pie plate that made it turn out so well.

Baking Blitz

Grazing through cookbooks on a lazy afternoon is a great way to meal plan and get yourself into trouble. So, as I am currently borrowing the Cook's Illustrated Cookbook from a friend, I am using it as an excuse for both. The index makes my mouth water as I flip through trying to find new ways to use ingredients already in my pantry.  Even with access to their online recipe database, having a physical cookbook opens up a new set of possibilities.

The other afternoon it was the cause for not one, but two baking endeavors. Triple Coconut Macaroons and Classic Brownies. They are both so good they merit title case capitalization.

Most shocking is how easy these both were to make. And I mean easy. I usually expect CI to ask me to do something crazy to one of the ingredients to get the perfect outcome. And I always do whatever crazy thing they ask me to do because they are never wrong. Seriously, their track record is even better than the Barefoot Contessa and that's saying something.

So make these with confidence and knock the socks of people at the next school bake sale.

Classic Brownies

Be sure to test for doneness before removing the brownies from the oven. If underbaked (the toothpick has batter clinging to it), the texture of the brownies will be dense and gummy; if overbaked (the toothpick comes out completely clean), the brownies will be dry and cakey.

Ingredients

• 1 cup pecans or walnuts (4 ounces), chopped medium (optional)
• 1 1/4 cups plain cake flour (5 ounces)
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 6 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped fine
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), cut into six 1-inch pieces
• 2 1/4 cups sugar (15 3/4 ounces)
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 325 degrees. Cut 18-inch length foil and fold lengthwise to 8-inch width. Fit foil into length of 13- by 9-inch baking dish, pushing it into corners and up sides of pan; allow excess to overhang pan edges. Cut 14-inch length foil and, if using extra-wide foil, fold lengthwise to 12-inch width; fit into width of baking pan in same manner, perpendicular to first sheet. Spray foil-lined pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2. If using nuts, spread nuts evenly on rimmed baking sheet and toast in oven until fragrant, 5 to 8 minutes. Set aside to cool.
3. Whisk to combine flour, salt, and baking powder in medium bowl; set aside.
4. Melt chocolate and butter in large heatproof bowl set over saucepan of almost-simmering water, stirring occasionally, until smooth. (Alternatively, in microwave, heat butter and chocolate in large microwave-safe bowl on high for 45 seconds, then stir and heat for 30 seconds more. Stir again, and, if necessary, repeat in 15-second increments; do not let chocolate burn.) When chocolate mixture is completely smooth, remove bowl from saucepan and gradually whisk in sugar. Add eggs one at time, whisking after each addition until thoroughly combined. Whisk in vanilla. Add flour mixture in three additions, folding with rubber spatula until batter is completely smooth and homogeneous.
5. Transfer batter to prepared pan; using spatula, spread batter into corners of pan and smooth surface. Sprinkle toasted nuts (if using) evenly over batter and bake until toothpick or wooden skewer inserted into center of brownies comes out with few moist crumbs attached, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool on wire rack to room temperature, about 2 hours, then remove brownies from pan by lifting foil overhang. Cut brownies into 2-inch squares and serve. (Store leftovers in airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.)

Triple Coconut Macaroons from Cooks Illustrated

Ingredients

• 1 cup cream of coconut
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 4 large egg whites
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 3 cups unsweetened, shredded, desiccated coconut (about 8 ounces)
• 3 cups sweetened shredded coconut (or flaked), about 8 ounces

Instructions

1. Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper and lightly spray parchment with nonstick vegetable cooking spray.
2. Whisk together cream of coconut, corn syrup, egg whites, vanilla, and salt in small bowl; set aside. Combine unsweetened and sweetened coconuts in large bowl; toss together, breaking up clumps with fingertips. Pour liquid ingredients into coconut and mix with rubber spatula until evenly moistened. Chill dough for 15 minutes.
3. Drop heaping tablespoons of batter onto parchment-lined cookie sheets, spacing them about 1 inch apart. Form cookies into loose haystacks with fingertips (see illustration 1, below), moistening hands with water as necessary to prevent sticking. Bake until light golden brown, about 15 minutes, turning cookie sheets from front to back and switching from top to bottom racks halfway through baking.
4. Cool cookies on cookie sheets until slightly set, about 2 minutes; remove to wire rack with metal spatula.