Gorgonzola Gnocchi

Since moving to New York I've been exploring Italian food a lot more. I was never a big fan before, but New York's amazing Italian cuisine has converted me. And what's more Italian than making your own pasta?

But before we dive in, I should give you a heads up: if you've never made your own gnocchi before, it can be a challenge. The recipe I used from online was rife with comments about the difficulty of finding the right balance of wet and dry in the gnocchi dough. I, too, had problems finding this balance. Like a lot of flour-based recipes, I think making gnocchi successfully involves some trial and error. But despite this challenge, this is a recipe I will definitely try again--the allure of being able to make homemade pasta is simply too great for me to be deterred after just one try. Of course, if you're looking for a fool-proof recipe, you can just buy gnocchi from the store. The gorgonzola sauce is both easy to make and delicious, so no fears there!

• 2 1/2 lbs potatos
• 3 cups flour (roughly)
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• butter
• 3/4 lbs gorgonzola dolce (ie, creamy gorgonzola)
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 4 tblsp chopped fresh herbs, such as chives or parsley

Pierce potatoes several times with fork. Microwave until tender, turning once, about 16 minutes total. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop potato flesh into a large bowl. Mash the potatoes until smooth. Mix the egg into the potatoes. Sift flour, salt, pepper, and nutmeg over potato mixture, then stir to combine. Knead gently. Divide dough into 8 pieces. Roll each piece on work surface into a 1/2-inch-diameter rope. Cut dough into 1-inch lengths and make grooves in each piece with fork (if you can do this without smashing them--I couldn't. Try a gnocchi board instead). Now is where a little bit of intuition and experience go a long way: we found that the gnocchi dough should be dry enough that when you slice it with a knife, it doesn't stick to the knife or the countertop. If your dough is still sticky, add more flour and roll it out again. Repeat this until you achieve the right consistency. Finally, bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the gnocchi and boil until the gnocchi rise to the surface. Boil 1-2 minutes more. Drain gnocchi in a collander. Heat 2 tblsp butter in a frying pan over medium heat and fry the gnocchi, in batches, until it turns golden-brown.

For the sauce, bring the heavy cream to a boil, stirring occasionally. Add the gorgonzola and stir until the gorgonzola is melted. (see, isn't that easy?) Toss the gnocchi in the sauce and top with a tablespoon of the fresh herbs. Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from here.