Cooking with Wine

Make the Gnocchi
Add your whole, unpeeled potatoes to a large pot of cold water, turn the heat to high and bring them to a boil. Once the water is boiling, turn the heat down and simmer until the potatoes are soft and offer little resistance when poked with a knife. Ensure the potatoes are covered with water the entire time, adding more if needed. This should take about 40 to 55 minutes depending on the size of the potatoes. When fork tender, remove the potatoes and let them cool enough to be handled.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly dust it with flour. Set aside.
Next, peel your cooked potatoes and pass them through a potato ricer into a large bowl. Alternatively, you can mash them thoroughly with a fork or pass them through a tamis.
Add the flour, egg, salt and herbs to the bowl and mix together with a serving spoon, a fork or your hands. Once the dough comes together, turn it out onto a flat, lightly floured surface and gently knead until the dough comes together in a ball. Do not knead too much or overwork the dough; rather, combine until just incorporated. Potato gnocchi dough is a sticky dough, but it should be manageable at this point.
Using just enough flour to make the dough workable, divide it into fourths and roll each section into “snakes” or a long rope about 3⁄4 inch (2 cm) in diameter.
Cut each “snake” into small pillows about 1 inch (2.5 cm) long (make them smaller or larger if you desire). If you are using a gnocchi board, gently roll each piece into a ball and, and using your thumb, gently push it down into the board to make grooves. You can also use a fork for this or simply roll the gnocchi in your palms so that there are no sharp corners.
Place the gnocchi on the baking sheet dusted generously with semolina flour in a single layer and place in the freezer for 30 min (this helps maintain their shape and make them more manageable). Make sure that the gnocchi are not touching or piled on top of each other or they may stick.
Cook the Gnocchi
Prepare a large pot of water and bring to a boil. Once your water is at a rolling boil, add salt (about 1/4 cup per gallon of water) and give the water a good stir to create a whirlpool, then drop the gnocchi into the water. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until gnocchi float to the top. Once floating, remove with a slotted spoon or spider spatula to a serving bowl. Toss with your sauce of choice and serve!