SPINACH GNOCCHI RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Pierce potatoes in several spots with a fork. Bake directly on the center rack until tender when pierced with a knife, 45 minutes to 1 1/4 hours, depending on the size and type of your potatoes. Remove to a wire rack and let stand until cool enough to handle, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Scoop the insides out of the potato skins and push through a potato ricer fitted with a fine disc onto a clean counter. (If you don't have a ricer, mash the potatoes until smooth.) Gather the potato into a mound on the counter, sprinkle with salt and let cool, about 15 minutes.
• Put a large pot of water on to boil.
• Place the egg yolk in a food processor. Boil spinach until tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain and squeeze out liquid; transfer to the food processor with the yolk; pulse until pureed.
• Pour the spinach puree over the cooled potato and then sprinkle 1 cup flour on top. Use a bench knife or metal spatula to gently fold the flour and spinach puree into the potatoes until combined (it will not look like dough at this point). Gently squeeze, knead and pat the dough until it holds together and resembles biscuit dough or cookie dough. The dough will be a little sticky; if it's very sticky, add more flour, about 1 tablespoon at a time, as necessary. Be careful not to overwork the dough: overworked dough will yield tougher gnocchi.
• Pat the dough into a 1 1/2-inch-thick disk and then divide it into 4 equal pieces. Working on a lightly floured surface with lightly floured hands, roll each portion into a 24- to 26-inch-long "snake," 1/2 to 3/4 inch wide. Start at the center of the dough and roll out using your fingertips and very light pressure; gently pull the dough out as you roll. Cut the snake into 3/4-inch pieces. Use your fingertip to make an indentation (or "dimple") in the center of each gnocchi. Place the gnocchi on a lightly floured baking sheet as they are made. Repeat with remaining dough.
• Adjust the heat so the water is at a gentle boil. Add about one-quarter of the gnocchi at a time. When the gnocchi float to the top, transfer to a parchment or wax paper-lined baking sheet with a slotted spoon. Continue boiling the gnocchi in batches until they are all cooked, returning the water to a gentle boil between batches. Serve immediately or sauté (see Tip).

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Bake potatoes until tender, about an hour. Immediately split them open to let the steam escape. When you can handle the potatoes, scoop out their flesh.
• While the potatoes bake, roughly chop the spinach. Put the oil in a small skillet or saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the spinach, season to taste, and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and wilted, about 5 minutes. Rinse under cold water and squeeze dry. Transfer to a food processor and purée until smooth.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. Pass potato flesh through a ricer or food mill, stir in the spinach purée, and season to taste. Sprinkle 1/4 cup flour on a clean counter or cutting board, and knead the potatoes with it, sprinkling in the remaining 1/2 cup flour, until the dough just comes together. Pinch off a piece of the dough, and boil it to make sure it will hold its shape. If it does not, knead in a bit more flour (no more than necessary), and try again; the gnocchi will float to the top and look a little raggedy when ready.
• Roll a piece of the dough into a rope about 1/2-inch thick, then cut the rope into 1/2-inch lengths. Score each piece by rolling it along the tines of a fork; as each piece is ready, put it on a baking sheet lined with parchment or wax paper; do not allow the gnocchi to touch one another.
• Add the gnocchi to the boiling water a few at a time, and gently stir; adjust the heat so the mixture doesn’t boil too vigorously. A few seconds after they rise to the surface, the gnocchi are done; remove them with a slotted spoon or mesh strainer, and finish with any of the following sauces:
  
  Tomato Sauce: Cook a small chopped onion in olive oil until soft. Add minced garlic, 3 to 4 cups of chopped tomatoes, canned or fresh, and salt and pepper. Cook at a steady bubble until ‘‘saucy.’’ If the sauce becomes too thick, add a splash of the gnocchi cooking water before serving. Garnish with torn basil and/or grated Parmesan.
  
  Brown Butter, Sage, and Parmesan: Put 4 tablespoons butter and a handful of fresh sage leaves (40 wouldn’t be too many) in a skillet over medium heat. Cook until the butter is light brown and the sage is sizzling, about 3 minutes. Toss with the gnocchi, some of their cooking water and loads of grated Parmesan.
  
  Olive Oil and Garlic: Put at least a tablespoon of minced garlic in a puddle of olive oil, along with (optional) red-pepper flakes and/or chopped anchovies. Cook until the garlic just turns golden (but no more than that). Toss with the gnocchi, some of their cooking water and plenty of chopped parsley.
  
  Bacon and Cream: Cook some chopped bacon, prosciutto or pancetta in a bit of olive oil over medium-low heat until nearly crisp. Stir in 1/2 cup heavy cream and a lot of pepper. Let the cream thicken slightly before adding the gnocchi.