Gnocchi

About 2 pounds of Russet or Yukon gold potatoes

1 egg, lightly beaten

3/4 to 1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Bake potatoes for at least an hour, or until they can easily be pierced with a knife.

Remove the potatoes from the oven, and using a knife, carefully split them in half. Allow them to cool slightly, then gently remove the skin, and scrape out any remaining potato. If you have a potato mill or a meat grinder, run the potatoes through so you end up with smooth mashed potatoes. Alternatively, you can use a fork to fluff your potatoes until there are no lumps.

Let your potatoes cool enough to work with, and then pile them in a mound on a cutting board or in a large bowl. Drizzle the egg over the top of the potatoes, and add in 3/4 cup of the flour and the salt. Using your fingers or a bench scraper, combine the ingredients to form a soft dough. If the dough is too sticky, continue to add in more flour, a little at a time. Continue to knead the dough until your dough becomes smooth. The dough should be moist, but not sticky.

Cut the dough into 4 equal pieces. Taking one piece at a time, roll it into a long roll. Use a knife to cut the roll into 1/2 inch pieces. Dust with a little bit of flour.

To shape the gnocchi, place a piece of gnocchi against the backside of a fork. Use your thumb to gently press down on the gnocchi, and it should curl into a slight "c" shape. Set each gnocchi aside until you are ready to boil them. Shaping gnocchi takes a little practice, but after a few tries you'll get the hand of it.

To cook your gnocchi, bring water to a boil. Drop your gnocchi in, and cook until the gnocchi floats. Drain, and serve with your favorite sauce.

*Freezer friendly tip* Flash freeze the gnocchi on a baking sheet, then place in a Ziploc bag. Cook straight from the freezer as directed above.