White Truffle Gnocchi
Chef Hidemasa Yamamoto
The Ritz Carlton
Washington, D.C.
Serves 6
1 potato
1 egg
Salt and white pepper to taste
One 2½-ounce jar sliced white truffles, drained
1½ cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup white truffle flour
½ cup unsalted butter
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan
Boil potato in skin until tender. Remove skin and pass through fine, mesh sieve. Add whole egg to potato. Knead in cheese, all-purpose flour, and truffle flour. Add sliced truffle, parsley, salt, and pepper. Roll dough ½-inch round log and slice into ½-inch pieces. To shape, roll dough pieces on the tines of a fork.
In a large pot, bring at least 4 quarts of water to a rolling boil. Add 1 tablespoon salt. Add the gnocchi and cook until they rise to the top, about 4 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the gnocchi from the pot. Place in an ice water bath. When serving, immerse in boiling water. Then toss in lightly browned butter and chopped Italian parsley. (To brown butter, cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until golden. It will bubble, but do not allow it to burn.)
Place in a serving bowl. Top with grated Parmesan cheese and fresh sliced white truffle.
Gnocchi … Potato Pasta
Gnocchi, while included in this book, are actually an Italian creation that look and taste like pasta, but are not. Gnocchi are made from potatoes. The word gnocchi (pronounced nyah-keeh) means “lumps,” and they are actually dumplings made of mashed potatoes, flour, and eggs. The dough is rolled by hand into a narrow sausage shape and then cut into pieces an inch or two long; the pieces are imprinted with the tines of a fork and then poached gently in boiling water. A hint for hitting the right texture is to mash the potatoes ahead of time and let them stand, covered with a cloth, for a few hours so they lose some of their moisture. Add the flour and eggs just before cooking.
