RECIPE FOR POTATO BALLS RECIPES

Steps:

• Mix together the Mashed Potatoes, flour, egg, parsley, Parmesan, mozzarella and black pepper in a bowl. Place the breadcrumbs on a large plate.
• Form the potato mix into 12 golf-ball-sized balls. The mixture will be a little sticky, so wet your hands a little as you go. Place the balls directly on the breadcrumbs and roll each ball in the breadcrumbs, pressing to make sure they stick well. Put the breadcrumbed balls on a plate.
• Heat 2 inches of oil in a deep skillet or Dutch oven to 375 degrees F, or until the mixture bubbles when a breadcrumb is added.
• Add the balls to the oil and fry until golden brown on all sides, 3 to 5 minutes total. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle immediately with salt.
• Garnish with more Parmesan and parsley.
• Peel and cut the potatoes into pieces of approximately the same size. Bring a large pot of water to a simmer and add the potatoes. Bring to a boil and cook until a fork easily slides into the potatoes with no resistance and the potatoes almost, but not totally, fall apart, 30 to 35 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Drain the potatoes in a large colander. Place them back into the dry pot and put the pot on the stove. Mash the potatoes over a low heat, allowing all the steam to escape.
• Turn off the stove and add the butter, cream cheese and half-and-half. Mash, mash, mash! Add the seasoned salt and black pepper.
• Stir well and place in a medium baking dish. Throw a few pats of butter over the top of the potatoes and place bake until the butter has melted and the potatoes are warmed through, a few minutes.

Steps:

• 1. Use potatoes of a fairly even size, as you’re going to cook them whole. Cook in a large pan of boiling salted water for 20 to 25 minutes, or until tender.
  2. Drain and leave until cool enough to handle, then remove the skins.
  3. Mash the potatoes using a potato ricer or masher on to a large clean board.
  4. Sprinkle over the flour, finely grate over half the nutmeg, season well with sea salt and black pepper, then scrunch and push the mixture together with clean hands. Depending on the potatoes, you may need to add a little more flour – use your common sense.
  5. Knead on a flour-dusted surface for a few minutes until pliable, then divide into 4 equal pieces and roll each into a sausage about 2cm thick.
  6. Slice into 3cm lengths – this is your basic gnocchi. Now you can gently roll each piece down a butter pat, the back of a fork or a fine grater to add grooves, which will help your sauce to stick, or simply roll into balls.
  7. Nonna Teresa cooked her gnocchi 2 portions at a time, as it’s so quick, and it also means they’re less likely to break up. Cook in a pan of boiling salted water for 2 to 3 minutes – as soon as they come up to the surface they’re ready.
  8. Remove with a slotted spoon and toss with melted butter and finely grated Parmesan, my Hero tomato sauce (or leftover sauce from a stew, which you can see in the picture), then finely grate over a little Parmesan, to serve. I also like to add a little dollop of pesto – homemade or jarred, it’s up to you.