Hand-crafted potato dumplings featuring a light, pillowy texture and a sophisticated brown butter finish. The dish balances earthy sage aromatics with the textural crunch of toasted hazelnuts and sharp Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Ingredients :

1 kg Russet potatoes, uniform in size
250 g Type 00 flour, plus extra for dusting
1 Large egg, lightly beaten
10 g Fine sea salt
115 g Unsalted high-fat butter
20 Fresh sage leaves
60 g Hazelnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
50 g Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated
1 pinch Freshly grated nutmeg

Method :

1. Boil whole unpeeled potatoes in heavily salted water until tender; drain and peel immediately while hot using a clean towel to hold them.
2. Pass the hot potatoes through a ricer onto a clean work surface, spreading them out to allow steam to escape and moisture to evaporate for 5 minutes.
3. Create a well in the center of the potatoes, add the beaten egg, nutmeg, and half of the sifted flour.
4. Gently fold the ingredients together by hand, gradually adding the remaining flour until a soft, non-sticky dough forms; do not overwork or the gnocchi will become gummy.
5. Divide the dough and roll into long ropes approximately 2cm thick on a lightly floured surface.
6. Cut the ropes into 2cm segments and optionally roll them over a gnocchi board to create ridges for holding sauce.
7. In a wide stainless steel skillet, melt the butter over medium heat, whisking occasionally until the milk solids turn golden brown and smell nutty.
8. Add the sage leaves to the brown butter and fry until crisp, then remove from heat and stir in the toasted hazelnuts.
9. Cook the gnocchi in a large pot of boiling salted water; once they float to the surface, let them cook for 30 additional seconds.
10. Use a slotted spoon to transfer gnocchi directly into the brown butter skillet, add a splash of pasta water, and toss gently with Parmigiano-Reggiano to emulsify before serving.

Recipe Notes :

Always use starchy potatoes like Russets and ensure they are dry before adding flour. The secret to lightness is minimal handling of the dough.