Prep time: 10 – 15 minutes
Cook time: 30 – 35 minutes
Serves 6 – 8.
1 C water
1/2 t salt
1/3 t grated nutmeg
2 T butter
1 C flour
1/4 C Parmesan cheese
3 eggs
1 T butter to butter the gratin dish
1 T Parmesan to sprinkle on top
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1. Place water, salt, nutmeg and 2 T butter in a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil. As soon as it boils, drop the entire cup of flour into the mixture at once and mix quickly with a sturdy wooden spoon.
2. Keep stirring until the mixture forms a smooth mass that separates easily from the sides of the saucepan. Then cook and stir for about 30 seconds to a minute more to dry the mixture further.
3. Transfer the dough to the bowl of an electric mixer, or to a regular bowl if you plan to mix it by hand. After 5 to 10 minutes, when the mixture is a bit cooler, add the 1/4 C Parmesan and 1 egg. Mix at low speed (or by hand) until the egg is incorporated. At first the mixture will seem to separate, but keep mixing and eventually the mixture will become tight and thick. Then add the second egg and mix again until smooth. Repeat with the third egg. Cover the mixture with an oiled piece of plastic wrap and let it cool.
4. Place about 3 inches of water in a large saucepan and heat it to approximately 180 degrees. It should not boil. If the mixture boils, the dumplings will cook too fast, expand, and eventually deflate. The dumplings should poach without expanding; they will expand later in the oven.
5. Mold the dumpling with a teaspoon; use approximately 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoonfuls of dough. Push the dough with your index finger into the water. Get close to the water so it does not splash.
6. A faster way to shape the gnocchi, and one that makes gnocchi that are more equal in size, is with a pastry bag fitted with a 1-inch plain tip. Fill the tube with the gnocchi dough, let the tip rest on the edge of the saucepan, and press the mixture out. Slide a knife along the tip of the tube to form small gnocchi approximately 11 1/2 inches long.
7. Poach the gnocchi for approximately 3 minutes. They will rise to the surface when they are done. Lift the gnocchi (they will not be completely cooked inside) with a slotted spoon, and place them in a bowl of iced water to cool. Drain and use them right away, or refrigerate for later use.
8. Arrange the gnocchi in one layer on one or two buttered gratin dishes. They should have enough space to expand. Sprinkle with the reserved Parmesan, and bake in a 350-degree oven for 25 minutes. Serve right away, before they begin to deflate.
