Let's Get Cooking: Pasta 101

When we were little, we loved watching Gramma create her homemade pastas—and she never even used a bowl!

She’d pull out a huge wooden board and mix everything together right on the board. She started with a mound of flour (she never had to measure), make a well in the middle, and add her ingredients: eggs, cheese, olive oil, and whatever else she liked.

Then she'd mix it all together, and the magic would begin. She gave us a little piece of dough to work with and showed us how to knead and roll. We always knew a fun time and a delicious meal were in store when “the board” came out.

One of the special pastas we love is gnocchi, made from potatoes. (This recipe is made even easier by using instant potatoes.) 

You can buy frozen gnocchi from your local grocer, but they never taste the same as the ones you make yourself. Some things just have to be done by hand. 

When our kids told us they wanted to learn how to make gnocchi, we decided a pasta party was in order. We affectionately refer to it as Pasta 101. We invite you to join us and watch the class.

Try this simple recipe in your kitchen. You can serve with your choice of sauces: marinara, alfredo or even an aglio olio (olive oil and garlic). However you dish it up, your family will surely enjoy this homemade treat.

RECIPE: Homemade Gnocchi
2 2/3 cups Instant Mashed Potatoes
2 cups Water (cool)
5 cups Flour
1 lb. Ricotta Cheese
4 Eggs

Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl, add water, eggs and ricotta cheese and mix into a dough.

Roll into long thin tubes about the circumference of your finger. Cut tubes at an angle into 1½-inch pieces. With two fingers, press and roll each piece. Place gnocchi on baking sheet dusted with flour to dry.

TIPS:

• Pasta needs to be dry before you cook it. You can setup a fan to make the pasta dry faster.
• When the pasta is dry, bring 6 quarts of water to a boil and salt liberally.
• Add pasta in batches and stir gently.
• Don’t overcrowd and do not add oil.
• When the gnocchi start to float to the top, they are ready to taste.
• Remove the gnocchi with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl that has a little sauce in the bottom and add parmesan cheese.
• Cover with foil while cooking more gnocchi.
• Add more sauce and serve.