Ingredients

2 cups coarse sea salt, plus more to taste
2 1⁄4 pounds Idaho potatoes
1⁄2 cup plus 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1⁄4 cup olive oil
1 egg
2 pinches ground nutmeg
Freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Mound the salt in the center of a baking sheet. Put the potatoes on the salt, and bake in the oven until a sharp thin-bladed knife easily pierces to the center of a potato. Remove from the oven and let the potatoes cool. Peel the potatoes, and pass them through a food mill or ricer, or mash thoroughly, and transfer to a bowl. Add flour, 2 tablespoons olive oil, egg, and nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper. Mix by hand until the dough binds together, but do not overwork it.

Divide the dough into 5 or 6 batches, and roll each one out on a floured surface into a rope about 1/2 inch in diameter. Cut each length into 1-inch segments, and set aside. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, and add the gnocchi in batches. Cook until they float to the surface, then remove them with a slotted spoon, and set aside on a clean kitchen towel. (They can be reserved for several hours at this stage.)

Heat the remaining oil in a nonstick sauté pan over medium heat. Add gnocchi in batches, and cook until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Add 2 teaspoons of the cheese, and toss so it melts onto the gnocchi, approximately 30 seconds, then remove from the pan, and repeat with remaining gnocchi. Set aside, sprinkle with remaining parmesan, cover, and keep warm until ready to serve.

(Published 2004)