Pierre Franey Potato Gnocchi Recipes

CHEF JOHN'S POTATO GNOCCHI

Steps:

• Place potato in microwave and cook on high setting until cooked through, about 7 minutes depending on the size of the potato.
• Split potato and remove flesh. Push flesh through strainer using the back of a wooden spoon in order to achieve a granular texture. Add a pinch of salt and let cool for about 10 minutes. Pour in beaten egg and stir, using the tines of a fork and trying not to mash the potato. Add about 1/3 cup flour and continue gently stirring gently with the tines of a fork until mixture starts to come together. You may need another pinch or two of flour. Fold mixture with a spatula until dough forms a mass, adding flour as needed. Using your fingers, knead dough gently to form ball, about 10 seconds.
• Shape dough into a fat log shape on a floured surface. Cut into 4 pieces. Gently roll each piece using your fingertips to form the "snake" or a long rope of dough, starting from the center and rolling toward the end until dough is about 1/2 inch thick. Cut each rope of dough into 1/2-inch pieces.
• Roll each 1/2-inch piece quickly down the back of a fork's tines to form ridges.
• Heat sauce in a skillet while you cook the gnocchi.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Reduce heat so water continues to simmer. Add gnocchi to water. As soon as they float to the surface after half a minute or so, cook for an additional 14 seconds. Transfer cooked gnocchi with a slotted spoon to the pan with the sauce. Stir until coated.
• Serve topped with grated cheese.

PIERRE FRANEY POTATO GNOCCHI

Steps:

• Boil potatoes in lightly salted water until soft. Drain and run them through sieve, or mash well, and let dry on top of stove in warm oven.
• To the potatoes add egg yolks and blend well. Add only enough flour to make a firm, yet delicate dough. If too much flour is added the dumplings become tough when cooked.
• On lightly floured surface roll dough into strips measuring 1 by 8 inches. Dust them with flour. Lower strips, one at a time, into the top chute of gnocchi machine while cranking handle slowly. Gnocchi will roll out the bottom chute. Cover them with a towel until ready to cook.
• Cook gnocchi in large pot of boiling salted water. When they rise to the surface they are done. Serve with sauce of choice.

PERFECT POTATO GNOCCHI

Steps:

• Pierce the potatoes several times so that moisture can escape during baking. Bake the potatoes in a preheated 400 degrees F oven for 1 hour until fork tender. Peel the potatoes while they are still hot and press them through a potato ricer. Put the potatoes in a large bowl with salt, baking powder, and egg white. Add the flour a little at a time and mix with your hands until the mixture forms a rough dough. Do not over-work the dough. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Gently knead the dough for 1 or 2 minutes until smooth, adding a little bit more flour, if necessary, to keep it from sticking.
• Break off a piece of the dough and roll it back and forth into a rope, about the thickness of your index finger. Cut the rope into 1-inch pieces. Gently roll each piece down a wooden gnocchi board while pressing a small dimple with your finger. The gnocchi should be slightly curved and marked with ridges. This will allow the pillows to hold sauce when served.
• Boil the gnocchi in batches in plenty of salted water. The gnocchi are done about 2 minutes after they float to the surface, remove with a slotted spoon, and serve. If not cooking immediately, place the gnocchi in a single layer on a baking pan dusted with flour. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 12 hours.
• Note: If the gnocchi start to feather and fall apart in boiling water, you need more flour. If the gnocchi don't float after 2 minutes and are hard, you used too much flour.

PIERRE FRANEY'S GREEN MASHED POTATOES

Steps:

• Peel the potatoes and cut them into 2-inch cubes.
• Place the potatoes and garlic in a saucepan and cover with water. Add salt. Bring to a boil, and simmer for 15 minutes or until tender.
• Drain the potatoes and force them through a food mill or potato ricer. Return to the saucepan.
• Meanwhile, put the parsley and 1/4 cup of the milk into a food processor. Blend until coarsely chopped.
• Place a strainer over a small bowl. Line it with cheesecloth. Transfer the parsley into the cheesecloth and squeeze very hard to extract all the juice. Reserve the juice.
• Add the milk, the parsley juice and the butter to the potatoes. Beat with a spoon and blend well. Add the pepper and check for seasoning. Serve immediately.

PIERRE FRANEY'S PASTA WITH CLAMS

Steps:

• In a 10- or 12-inch frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat and fry the garlic until fragrant, taking care not to burn it. Add the thyme and clam juice and reduce by half, about 4 minutes. Add the wine and reduce, about 2 minutes. Add 1 cup heavy cream and simmer till the mixture thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Combine 1 cup of the basil leaves and the clams and add to the sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside and keep warm.
• Cook the fettuccine until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water, then drain. Add the pasta to the sauce and stir to coat. Add Parmesan to taste. Correct the seasonings. If the sauce is too thick, add some of the reserved pasta water or additional cream, sparingly. Simmer the pasta and stir until sauce is the desired thickness. Add more basil to taste and serve immediately.

FRENCH FRIED POTATOES

Steps:

• Peel the potatoes and cut each into 1/4-inch thick slices. Stack a few slices at a time and cut the slices lengthwise into 1/4-inch-wide strips or sticks. There should be about 6 cups. Drop the potatoes into cold water and drain almost immediately. Pat the potatoes dry.
• Heat the oil to 330 degrees in a skillet or, preferably, a deep fryer. Drop potatoes in batches into hot oil. As the potatoes are fried, shake or stir them so that they cook evenly. Let cook 10 minutes without browning. This might be done an hour or more ahead of time. Remove the potatoes from the oil and let drain.
• Increase the oil temperature to 375 degrees. Return the potatoes to the oil and let cook until crisp and brown, about 4 to 5 minutes.
• Remove the potatoes and drain on absorbent paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and serve.