From James Beard's _Beard_on_Pasta (Alfred A. Knopf 1983):

     Potato Gnocchi:

 2     Lbs. potatoes (3 large)
 2     Cups flour
 2     eggs
 2     Tbsp. butter
 1/2   tsp salt
 3/4   tsp pepper
 1/3   Cup melted butter
 Some  grated parmesan or caciocavallo cheese

Peel and cook, or cook and peel the potatoes (peel and boil, or bake
in a 450 degree oven then halve and dry out in the oven for ten minutes);
drain them, mash them with a fork, and dry them out in a pan over a low
flame for about 10 minutes.
Put the potatoes in a bowl and beat in flour, eggs, butter, salt and pepper.
Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and knead for three minutes.
Pull off a lemon sized lump of dough and roll it into a rope about as wide
as your thumb (or James Beard's finger).  Pull off another lemon sized lump
and make another rope.  Keep going until you've used all the dough.  Then
cut each rope into 3/4" long pieces.  Shape each piece using a fork.  (With
the edge of the fork, make a fold or diagonal dent along the gnocchi; then
roll it under the fork's tines to make ridges.)
Boil about 8 at a time for 3-4 minutes.  Remove with a slotted spoon and
arrange on a baking dish.  Pour melted butter over the top; sprinkle
with the grated cheese, and heat in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes.
            -------------------------------
Also from _Beard_on_Pasta:

                 Gnocchi Verdi

 1     Lb. fresh spinach, cooked, drained and chopped (or two ten ounce
                packages frozen spinach)
 1/2   tsp salt
 some  ground pepper
 1/8   tsp nutmeg
 1     Tbsp butter
 8     ounces Ricotta cheese
 2     eggs
 1 1/2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated
 3     Tablespoons flour

In saucepan, combine spinach, salt, pepper, nutmeg, butter and ricotta over
low heat.  Stir for 5 minutes to dry mixture out.  Remove from heat
and beat in eggs, parmesan cheese, and flour.  Set dough aside to cool
for 2 hours.

Dust your hands and a board with flour.  Pull off walnut-size pieces
of dough and form cork-shaped croquettes.  Roll each croquette in
flour.  When you have used up all of the dough, drop the gnocchi into
*gently* simmering water.  (Don't let the water boil or the gnocchi may
fall apart.)  When they rise to the surface of the water, they're done.
Remove them with a slotted spoon.  Put them in a buttered baking dish.

Beard suggests pouring 1/2 cup melted butter over the gnocchi, sprinkling
1/2 grated parmesan on top, and heating in a 350 degree oven for 20 to 30
minutes.

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POTATO GNOCCHI

3 large Idaho or russet potatoes, unpeeled (1 1/2 lbs.)
1 tsp salt
Dash of freshly ground white pepper
1 egg, beaten
1 1/2 cups unbleached flour, sifted

In a large saucepan, boil the potatoes in lightly salted water until 
easily pierced with a fork, 30 to 40 minutes.  Drain and cool.

Peel the potatoes and pass them through a ricer or push them through 
a coarse sieve.  Spread the potatoes out on a large plate and let them 
cool completely.

On a cool work surface, gather the cold riced potatoes into a mound 
and form a well in the center.  Stir the salt and pepper into the egg 
and pour the mixture into the well.  Using both hands, work the egg 
into the potatoes, gradually adding the flour and scraping the dough 
up from the work surface as necessary.  Work the dough just until all 
the ingredients are blended, 4 to 5 minutes.

Lightly dust the dough, your hands and work surface with flour and cut 
the dough in 3 parts.  Using both hands, roll each piece of dough into 
a 1/2 inch thick rope, then cut the ropes at 1/2 inch intervals.  Indent 
the gnocchi with your thumb, or roll them wit the back of a fork to 
produce a ribbed effect.


Gnocchi Parisienne

definitely not Italian "gnochhi".

1 stick unsalted butter cut into bits
1 C water
1 C + 2 T milk
1 T salt
1/2 t pepper
1/2 t nutmeg
2 1/4 C flour
8 large eggs
1 cup heavy cream
3/4 C + 2 T fresh grated Parmesan     

In a large saucepan combine butter, water, milk, salt and pepper, and 
nutmeg and bring mixture just to a boil.  Add sifted flour all at once,
stirring briskly until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan
and forms a ball.  Transfer to a large bowl, let it cool for five minutes
and stir in eggs, one at a time, incorporating completely.

Bring six inches of water to boil, and lower to a simmer.  Drop walnut-
sized ovals of the paste into the water and cook uncovered for 5-7 minutes.
Transfer the gnocchi with a slotted spoon to a large bowl of ice water.
Drain well in a large colander.  Aarrange in one layer in a buttered gratin 
dish, pour the cream over them and sprinkle with the Parmesan.  Bake in
a preheated 425 oven for ten minutes, then brown under broiler until golden.

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4 medium potatoes (a good boiling potato)
1 egg
1/2 stick butter (or 1/4 cup olive oil)
4-6 cups flour

Peel and cube the potatoes.  Cover with water and boil until tender.  Drain the
majority of the water out.  Add the butter and the egg and mash the potatoes
until they are smooth.  You may need to add another egg to make the mixture
slightly soupy and very smooth.

Start with the 4 cups of flour and add the mashed potatoes.  Mix well.
The mixture should be firm but not dry.  Add more flour as needed,  Knead
until smooth.  Cover with a bowl and let rest for about 1/2 hour.

To form the gnocci, cut off or pull off a small handful of dough.  Roll the
piece of dough into a log approximately 1/2" thick.  ( I have a machine that
will cut the log into shells--but you don't really need one.)  With a very
sharp knife, cut the log into 3/4" pieces--or smaller--then with the tines of a 
fork, press the piece and roll it toward you so that it makes the indentation
of the fork on one side and a slight indentation across on the other side and
it looks sort of like a shell.  Sprinkle lightly with flour and let dry for an
hour.

To cook:  Place in a pot of boiling salted water.  They take about 10 minutes
to cook.

To Serve:  You can serve the gnocci with your favorite spaghetti sauce.  We
sometimes serve it with the following:

1/2 stick butter
3-4 tbsp olive oil
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup of the water used to boil the gnocci
1/2 grated parmesan cheese

Heat the olive oil and butter in a heavy frying pan.  When the butter begins
to sizzle add the garlic and saute just until the garlic begins to turn golden. 
Remove from the heat and add the water.  Pour over the gnocci and sprinkle on
the cheese.  Mix well.  You can add a little garlic salt if you like.

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DUCK SAUCE SERVED OVER GNOCCHI

Duck Sauce with Dried Cherries
 
Serves   4
 
1      duck, 3 to 4 pounds, cut into 4 serving pieces
1      cup olive oil
2      cups yellow onions, sliced thin
4 to 6  cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4    cup Italian flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1/4    cup celery with leaves, chopped
3      cups tomatoes, chopped
1/4    cup dry marsala
1 3/4  cups dry red wine
2      whole cloves
2      bay leaves
1/4    teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 1/2  teaspoons dried rosemary
2      teaspoons Hungarian paprika
1      cup dried cherries
1/2    cup brandy, warm
       salt and pepper to taste
 
   Soak dried cherries in the warm brandy for 1 hour, reserving
the brandy. 
   Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
Place the duck pieces in the skillet and brown well to melt off
the fat. remove the duck and drain off most of the fat and oil,
reserving 1/4  cup. 
  Add the reserved oil to a 6 quart covered ovenproof casserole
and saute the onion and garlic until tender. Add the parsley and
celery and saute for a few minutes more. Add the tomatoes and
simmer 15 to 20 minutes. 
   Add the marsala, red wine and seasonings and bring to a boil.
Add the duck pieces, cover, and let cook in a preheated oven at
375 degrees for 2 hours or until the duck meat falls away from
the bones. 
   Remove the casserole from the oven and let it cool enough to
remove all the duck bones. Return meat to the pot and add the
cherries, along with the brandy. Simmer, uncovered, until the
sauce reduces and thickens, about 15 minutes. Salt and pepper to
taste.

Gnocchi

Serves   4
 
2      pounds Idaho potatoes, washed, unpeeled
2      tablespoons butter, melted
1      egg yolk
1      cup ricotta cheese
1      teaspoon Hungarian paprika
1/4    teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2    teaspoon salt
       ground white pepper, to taste
2/3    dash cayenne pepper
2      cups all-purpose flour
 
   Boil the potatoes until they are fork tender. Drain them well
and allow to cool so you can handle them. Peel and run potatoes
through a ricer. 
   Place the potatoes in the bowl of an electric mixer and add
the melted butter, egg yolk, ricotta cheese and seasonings. Blend
about 30 seconds. Add the flour and blend until a smooth dough is
achieved. 
   Roll the dough into long cylinders the thickness of your
finger, then cut into 1/2 inch long pieces. Press the pieces with
a fork to give them some texture. Lightly flour and set on a
lightly floured tray to dry. Allow to dry for about 3 hours. 
   Bring 8 quarts of water to a boil and add about 1/4 of the
gnocchi. Boil gently until they float to the top, then boil only 1
minute longer. Drain remove to a bowl and repeat process with
remaining gnocchi.

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Here you go but  success here depends on getting :"the feel "right:
10 ounces fresh or frozen spinach
barely cook the spinach. then drain it and chop it
add:
1 pound ricotta
1 egg
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 cup flour
mix
then take a tsp of the mixture and with floured hands 
roll ball  in additional  four until it is a soft ball 
(it will be very squishy and sticky)
add one dumpling as a test to boiling water. 
if it does not disintegrate.. mkae more and add them to the boiling
water.. if it does break up..  add more flour to the mixture before
rolling.
when the dumplings  rise to the top remove and drain and put in a
casserole. 
dot w butter and  grated parmesan cheese and broil for a few minutes
have fun!!

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SPINACH GNOCCHI WITH FONTINA CHEESE
(GNOCCHI DI SPINACI ALLA BAVA) 

Spinach adds great color and flavor to these light dumplings. The topping consists
of melted butter and Fontina cheese, a product made in the neighboring region of
Valle d'Aosta but used for many local dishes. 

1 pound russet potatoes

2 10-ounce packages ready-to-use spinach leaves, stemmed
1 small egg, beaten to blend
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/2 cups (about) all purpose flour

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
5 ounces Fontina cheese, thinly sliced

Steam potatoes until very tender, about 35 minutes. Cool potatoes slightly and peel.
Mash potatoes in large bowl until smooth. Set aside.

Meanwhile, bring 2 inches of salted water to boil in large pot. Add spinach leaves to
pot and cook until wilted, stirring occasionally, about 2 minutes. Drain spinach,
reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid. Squeeze out as much liquid as possible from
spinach. Puree spinach in processor, adding reserved cooking liquid 1 tablespoon at
a time if necessary to help puree and scraping down sides of processor bowl
occasionally. 

Transfer spinach mixture to bowl with potatoes. Mix in egg, ground nutmeg and
enough flour until soft and slightly sticky dough forms. Season dough to taste with
salt.

Dust baking sheet with flour. Working in batches and using floured hands, roll 1/4
cup dough on lightly floured work surface to form 12-inch rope. Cut rope into
1-inch pieces. Roll each piece between palms to form oval ball. Lightly flour the
wires of a whisk. Using thumb, gently roll each ball down length of wires, making
ribbed impressions in gnocchi. Transfer gnocchi to prepared baking sheet. Repeat
rolling, cutting and shaping of remaining dough.

Preheat oven to 400F. Butter 13x9-inch baking dish. Working in batches, add
gnocchi to large pot of boiling salted water and cook until gnocchi rise to surface of
water, about 4 minutes. Using slotted spoon, remove gnocchi from water, draining
off excess, and transfer to prepared baking dish. Pour 1/4 cup melted butter over
gnocchi; toss thoroughly to coat. Top with Fontina cheese slices. (Gnocchi can be
prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Bake until gnocchi are heated
through and cheese bubbles, about 10 minutes.

Makes 4 Servings

 Lorenza De' Medici, Bon Apptit,  May 1997 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From Sunset's _Food_Processor_Cook_Book_ (Lane Publishing 19830

      Ricotta Gnocchi with Pesto

 1     clove garlic
 1/4   Cup grated Parmesan cheese
 2     Cups Ricotta cheese
 2     eggs
 1     tsp salt
 2     Cups flour
 5     quarts water
 some  butter
 some  salt
 some  pepper
 some  Pesto (12 to 16 Tablespoons)

Mince garlic in the bowl of a food processor using the metal blade.
Add Parmesan cheese, Ricotta cheese, eggs, 1 tsp salt and flour to
work bowl.  Process continuously (stopping to scrape bowl every now
and then) until mixture forms a ball.  Remove dough, dust lightly
with flour, and wrap in plastic wrap.  Chill 4 to 6 hours.

Unwrap dough onto floured board.  Roll small pieces of dough into
ropes 3/8" thick.  Cut ropes into 1 1/4" pieces, and shape into
gnocchi with your finger.

Bring 5 quarts water to boil in 6 to 8 quart pot; cook gnocchi 30 to 40
at a time for about 10 minutes.  Drain and keep warm in a covered dish
until all Gnocchi are cooked.  Season to taste with butter, salt and
pepper.  Top each serving with about 2 Tablespoons pesto.  Makes 6 to
8 small servings.

---------------------------

Jessica Litman


