Why does my gnocchi taste like rubber?

"Benjamin Johnston" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi,

I've almost given up on gnocchi. I've tried making it many
times - with varying amounts of potato, flour and
semolina. I've tried kneading it for different lengths of
time. I've tried several recipies. But I just can't

get

Quoted message said:

my gnocchi to taste anywhere near the stuff you get in
restaurants or even from a supermarket.

Every single time it comes out rubbery. Really heavy and
dense and

rubbery.

Quoted message said:

I'm pretty sure it isn't a problem with the cooking -
because I can cook store-bought gnocchi fine. I'm pretty
sure I must be doing something wrong during the
preparation.

Any ideas?

Thanks a lot,

-Benjamin Johnston

Hi Benjamin,

I learned this recipe for gnocchi in a class on Italian
cooking ... they always turn out light and fluffy,
probably because teh recipe doesn't use potato. It's also
pretty easy:

Spinach and Ricotta Gnocchi

1T Finely chopped onion 2 T Butter 2T finely chopped
mortedella or pancetta 1 10-ounce package of frozen spinach
(defrosted and squeezed dry) or 1-pound fresh spinach ¾ Cup
ricotta cheese
2/3 Cup AP Flour 2 Egg Yolks 1 Cup freshly grated
Parmesan cheese
3/4 teaspoon nutmeg Melted butter Parmesan

Method In a skillet, over medium heat sauté onion in the
butter until pale gold. Add chopped mortadella and sauté for
about a minute. Add spinach and ¼ t of salt and sauté for
about 4 minutes. Transfer contents of pan to bowl. Add
ricotta and flour. Stir to combine. Add egg yolks, cheese
and nutmeg. Taste and correct for salt. Make small pellets
and place on floured baking sheet.

To cook gnocchi: Bring 4 quarts of salted water to a boil.
Drop the gnocchi a few at a time and cook for about 2-3
minutes. Retreive gnocchi with slotted spoon and place in
baking pan. Drizzle with melted butter and a sprinkling of
Parmesan cheese and place under a broiler until gratineed.

Enjoy, Mia

Benjamin Johnston said:

Hi,

I've almost given up on gnocchi. I've tried making it many
times - with varying amounts of potato, flour and
semolina. I've tried kneading it for different lengths of
time. I've tried several recipies. But I just can't get my
gnocchi to taste anywhere near the stuff you get in
restaurants or even from a supermarket.

Every single time it comes out rubbery. Really heavy and
dense and rubbery. I'm pretty sure it isn't a problem with
the cooking - because I can cook store-bought gnocchi
fine. I'm pretty sure I must be doing something wrong
during the preparation.

Any ideas?

The first thing that occurs to me is that you're
overhandling them. The less kneading, the better.
Restaurants and supermarkets buy theirs from commercial
producers who make them by machine. Yours will most likely
be denser just because of the differences in making them.
You might try making them smaller.

Pastorio

"Benjamin Johnston" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi,

I've almost given up on gnocchi. I've tried making it many
times - with varying amounts of potato, flour and
semolina. I've tried kneading it for different lengths of
time. I've tried several recipies. But I just can't

get

Quoted message said:

my gnocchi to taste anywhere near the stuff you get in
restaurants or even from a supermarket.

Every single time it comes out rubbery. Really heavy and
dense and

rubbery.

Quoted message said:

I'm pretty sure it isn't a problem with the cooking -
because I can cook store-bought gnocchi fine. I'm pretty
sure I must be doing something wrong during the
preparation.

Any ideas?

Thanks a lot,

-Benjamin Johnston

Ben, it sounds like a classic case of "over working" the
dough. Incorporate your ingredients but don't spend a lot
of time trying to get the dough to be too much like a
bread dough.

Benjamin Johnston said:

Hi,

I've almost given up on gnocchi. I've tried making it many
times - with varying amounts of potato, flour and
semolina. I've tried kneading it for different lengths of
time. I've tried several recipies. But I just can't get my
gnocchi to taste anywhere near the stuff you get in
restaurants or even from a supermarket.

Every single time it comes out rubbery. Really heavy and
dense and rubbery. I'm pretty sure it isn't a problem with
the cooking - because I can cook store-bought gnocchi
fine. I'm pretty sure I must be doing something wrong
during the preparation.

Any ideas?

Thanks a lot,

-Benjamin Johnston

Probably kneading too much and incorporating too much
flower. I will post my recipe step by step on my site next
week. I hope it will help.

Ciao,

Anna Maria

annamariavolpi.compage28.htmlOpen ↗

"Benjamin Johnston" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Hi,

I've almost given up on gnocchi. I've tried making it many
times - with varying amounts of potato, flour and
semolina. I've tried kneading it for different lengths of
time. I've tried several recipies. But I just can't get my
gnocchi to taste anywhere near the stuff you get in
restaurants or even from a supermarket.

Every single time it comes out rubbery. Really heavy and
dense and rubbery. I'm pretty sure it isn't a problem with
the cooking - because I can cook store-bought gnocchi
fine. I'm pretty sure I must be doing something wrong
during the preparation.

You might be overworking the dough, or you might be
using flour with too much gluten. I don't know how flour
is marketed in Australia, but you want a flour similar
to American pastry flour, which is grown from 'soft'
winter wheat.

Flour made from hard durum spring wheat (such as US bread
flour or Canadian all-purpose flour) is higher in gluten and
does tend to become tough with excess handling. This makes
it ideal for breadmaking but not so good for gnocchi, cakes,
or pastry.

wd40

Benjamin Johnston said:

Every single time it comes out rubbery. Really heavy and
dense and rubbery. I'm pretty sure it isn't a problem with
the cooking - because I can cook store-bought gnocchi
fine. I'm pretty sure I must be doing something wrong
during the preparation.

Any ideas?

The rubberiness is from overworking the dough. I'm not sure
of your technique, but the way to make the dough is:

1. build your pile of flour, and hollow out a crater in
the middle
2. pour your liquids into the crater, being sure to keep the
sides from collapsing
3. using your finger, slowing incorporate flour into the
liquid, allowing the liquid to pull in only as much flour
as it needs and no more
4. when it has absorbed enough flour to be sticky but hold
together, work the dough until is has smooth surface
5. roll into a ball, flatten the ball, wrap in plastic and
put it in the fridge for about an hour to hydrate

--
Darryl L. Pierce <[email hidden]> Visit the Infobahn
Offramp - <http://mypage.org/mcpierce> "What do you care
what other people think, Mr. Feynman?"

Thank you everybody... I guess the verdict is pretty clear:
overworking the dough.

I'll give the technique suggested by Darryl a go, and maybe
try using low gluten bread as suggested by Bubbablue.

And everybody else: Mia, anna maria, Bob (this one) and
Tesoro - thanks a lot for your comments and recipes...

-Benjamin Johnston

"Benjamin Johnston" <[email hidden]>
wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi,

I've almost given up on gnocchi. I've tried making it many
times - with varying amounts of potato, flour and
semolina. I've tried kneading it for different lengths of
time. I've tried several recipies. But I just can't

get

Quoted message said:

my gnocchi to taste anywhere near the stuff you get in
restaurants or even from a supermarket.

Every single time it comes out rubbery. Really heavy and
dense and

rubbery.

Quoted message said:

I'm pretty sure it isn't a problem with the cooking -
because I can cook store-bought gnocchi fine. I'm pretty
sure I must be doing something wrong during the
preparation.

Any ideas?

Thanks a lot,

-Benjamin Johnston

Mia said:

"Benjamin Johnston" <[email hidden]>
wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi,

I've almost given up on gnocchi.

Any ideas?

Thanks a lot,

-Benjamin Johnston

Hi Benjamin,

I learned this recipe for gnocchi in a class on Italian
cooking ... they always turn out light and fluffy,
probably because teh recipe doesn't use potato. It's also
pretty easy:

Spinach and Ricotta Gnocchi

Enjoy, Mia

I agree that gnocchi is a generic word for "dumplings",
and there are many types with all sorts of ingredients,
but seems to me that Benjamin refers specifically to
potato gnocchi.

Ciao,

Anna Maria

annamariavolpi.compage28.htmlOpen ↗

"Darryl L. Pierce" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Benjamin Johnston said:

Every single time it comes out rubbery. Really heavy and
dense and rubbery. I'm pretty sure it isn't a problem
with the cooking - because I can cook store-bought
gnocchi fine. I'm pretty sure I must be doing something
wrong during the preparation.

Any ideas?

The rubberiness is from overworking the dough. I'm not
sure of your technique, but the way to make the dough is:

1. build your pile of flour, and hollow out a crater in
the middle
2. pour your liquids into the crater, being sure to keep
the sides from collapsing
3. using your finger, slowing incorporate flour into the
liquid, allowing the liquid to pull in only as much
flour as it needs and no more
4. when it has absorbed enough flour to be sticky but hold
together, work the dough until is has smooth surface
5. roll into a ball, flatten the ball, wrap in plastic and
put it in the fridge for about an hour to hydrate

--

Where are the potatoes? I neve heard of gnocchi made with
just flour.

--
Peter Aitken

Remove the [censored] from my email address before using.

Benjamin Johnston said:

Thank you everybody... I guess the verdict is pretty
clear: overworking the dough.

I'll give the technique suggested by Darryl a go, and
maybe try using low gluten bread as suggested by
Bubbablue.

Darryl's technique is a good one, but for plain pasta; no
potatoes are indicated in this one.

Use AP flour, just don't work it so much.

Or, alternatively, try to work it less and, in any event,
let it rest, covered, for 20 or 30 minutes to relax.

Pastorio

Quoted message said:

And everybody else: Mia, anna maria, Bob (this one) and
Tesoro - thanks a lot for your comments and recipes...

-Benjamin Johnston

"Benjamin Johnston" <[email hidden]>
wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi,

I've almost given up on gnocchi. I've tried making it many
times - with varying amounts of potato, flour and
semolina. I've tried kneading it for different lengths of
time. I've tried several recipies. But I just can't

get

Quoted message said:

my gnocchi to taste anywhere near the stuff you get in
restaurants or even from a supermarket.

Every single time it comes out rubbery. Really heavy and
dense and

rubbery.

Quoted message said:

I'm pretty sure it isn't a problem with the cooking -
because I can cook store-bought gnocchi fine. I'm pretty
sure I must be doing something wrong during the
preparation.

Any ideas?

Thanks a lot,

-Benjamin Johnston

"anna maria" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Mia said:

"Benjamin Johnston" <[email hidden]>
wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi,

I've almost given up on gnocchi.

Any ideas?

Thanks a lot,

-Benjamin Johnston

Hi Benjamin,

I learned this recipe for gnocchi in a class on Italian
cooking ... they always turn out light and fluffy,
probably because teh recipe doesn't

use

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

potato. It's also pretty easy:

Spinach and Ricotta Gnocchi

Enjoy, Mia

I agree that gnocchi is a generic word for "dumplings",
and there are many types with all sorts of ingredients,
but seems to me that Benjamin refers specifically to
potato gnocchi.

Ciao,

Anna Maria

annamariavolpi.compage28.htmlOpen ↗

Yes, I know ... but after eating this light alternative to
potato gnocchi, I liked it so much better that I thought I'd
share this recipe in case he felt like trying something
different.

Thanks, Mia

Peter Aitken said:

"Darryl L. Pierce" <[email hidden]> wrote in
message -"]news:[email hidden]-
ws.com...

Quoted message said:

Benjamin Johnston said:

Every single time it comes out rubbery. Really heavy and
dense and rubbery.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

The rubberiness is from overworking the dough. I'm not
sure of your technique, but the way to make the dough is:

1. build your pile of flour, and hollow out a crater in
the middle
2. pour your liquids into the crater, being sure to keep
the sides from collapsing
--

Where are the potatoes? I neve heard of gnocchi made with
just flour.

Gnocchi means "little dumpling" or something roughly
equivalent to that. There's all different kinds of gnocchi -
potato, flour, spinach...

My favourite gnocchi recipe calls for pumpkin pulp. I've
adapted the recipe (from 'La Cuchina'😉 so as to use canned
pumpkin, *not* the pie filling stuff! Fresh pumpkin is only
available seasonally around here in the mid-South.

1-3/4 lb. canned pumpkin puree
3/4 c. butter salt & pepper to taste
4/4 lb. emmental cheese
5/4 lb. gouda cheese
6/4 lb. bergkase cheese* 2 eggs 1 c. white flour 3 sprigs of
sage leaves

NOTE: I can never find this cheese; a fresh chevre
works nicely.

Chop up all the cheeses and mix them together, then add them
to the pumpkin puree and mix well. Add the eggs and flour
and work just until you have a fairly stiff mixture. Pinch
off into many little gnocchis.

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Tip the
gnocchi into the water, in batches, for about 3 minutes.
When they begin to float, remove them with a slotted spoon
to a serving dish.

In a frying pan, melt the butter and add the sage and heat
through. Season the gnocchi with the sage butter.

Jill

Peter Aitken said:

Quoted message said:

The rubberiness is from overworking the dough. I'm not
sure of your technique, but the way to make the dough is:

1. build your pile of flour, and hollow out a crater in
the middle
2. pour your liquids into the crater, being sure to keep
the sides from collapsing
3. using your finger, slowing incorporate flour into the
liquid, allowing the liquid to pull in only as much
flour as it needs and no more
4. when it has absorbed enough flour to be sticky but
hold together, work the dough until is has smooth
surface
5. roll into a ball, flatten the ball, wrap in plastic
and put it in the fridge for about an hour to hydrate

Where are the potatoes? I neve heard of gnocchi made with
just flour.

I said nothing about filling. I gave directions for making
the pasta only.

--
Darryl L. Pierce <[email hidden]> Visit the Infobahn
Offramp - <http://mypage.org/mcpierce> "What do you care
what other people think, Mr. Feynman?"

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I agree that gnocchi is a generic word for "dumplings",
and there are many types with all sorts of ingredients,
but seems to me that Benjamin refers specifically to
potato gnocchi.

Yes, I know ... but after eating this light alternative to
potato gnocchi,

I

Quoted message said:

liked it so much better that I thought I'd share this
recipe in case he

felt

Quoted message said:

like trying something different.

Thanks, Mia

I was referring to potato gnocchi, but I appreciate this
other recipe... I'll certainly give it a try.

Thanks.

-Benjamin Johnston

Darryl L. Pierce said:

Peter Aitken said:

Quoted message said:

The rubberiness is from overworking the dough. I'm
not sure of your technique, but the way to make the
dough is:

1. build your pile of flour, and hollow out a crater in
the middle
2. pour your liquids into the crater, being sure to keep
the sides from collapsing
3. using your finger, slowing incorporate flour into the
liquid, allowing the liquid to pull in only as much
flour as it needs and no more
4. when it has absorbed enough flour to be sticky but
hold together, work the dough until is has smooth
surface
5. roll into a ball, flatten the ball, wrap in plastic
and put it in the fridge for about an hour to hydrate

Where are the potatoes? I neve heard of gnocchi made with
just flour.

I said nothing about filling. I gave directions for making
the pasta only.

Neither did Peter, the potatoes are to mix in with the
flour, as another source of starch, not as a filling.

--
Tim C.

Tim Challenger 'timothy(dot)challenger(at)apk(dot)at said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Where are the potatoes? I neve heard of gnocchi made
with just flour.

I said nothing about filling. I gave directions for
making the pasta only.

Neither did Peter, the potatoes are to mix in with the
flour, as another source of starch, not as a filling.

Sorry, my bad. I confused tortellinis with gnocchis... :/

--
Darryl L. Pierce <[email hidden]> Visit the Infobahn
Offramp - <http://mypage.org/mcpierce> "What do you care
what other people think, Mr. Feynman?"

Darryl L. Pierce said:

Tim Challenger

timothy(dot)challenger(at)apk(dot)at said:

Quoted message said:

> Where are the potatoes? I neve heard of gnocchi made
> with just flour.

I said nothing about filling. I gave directions for
making the pasta only.

Neither did Peter, the potatoes are to mix in with the
flour, as another source of starch, not as a filling.

Sorry, my bad. I confused tortellinis with gnocchis... :/

Thought so. ;-)

--
Tim C.

Quoted message said:

Benjamin Johnston said:

I've almost given up on gnocchi. I've tried making it
many times - with varying amounts of potato, flour and
semolina. I've tried kneading it for different lengths of
time. I've tried several recipies. But I just can't

get

Quoted message said:

my gnocchi to taste anywhere near the stuff you get in
restaurants or even from a supermarket.

Every single time it comes out rubbery. Really heavy and
dense and

rubbery.

Quoted message said:

I'm pretty sure it isn't a problem with the cooking -
because I can cook store-bought gnocchi fine. I'm pretty
sure I must be doing something wrong during the
preparation.

Any ideas?

A good idea is to post your recipe, lacking that no one can
do more than make wild speculations.

Good info here: e-e-Open ↗
rcps.com/pasta/rcp/gnocchi/index.shtml

---= BOYCOTT FRANCE (belgium) GERMANY--SPAIN =--- ---= Move
UNITED NATIONS To Paris =---
*********
"Life would be devoid of all meaning were it without
tribulation." Sheldon ````````````

On 01/05/04 08:56, "Benjamin Johnston" <[email hidden]>
écrivut:

Quoted message said:

Hi,

I've almost given up on gnocchi. I've tried making it many
times - with varying amounts of potato, flour and
semolina. I've tried kneading it for different lengths of
time. I've tried several recipies. But I just can't get my
gnocchi to taste anywhere near the stuff you get in
restaurants or even from a supermarket.

Every single time it comes out rubbery. Really heavy and
dense and rubbery. I'm pretty sure it isn't a problem with
the cooking - because I can cook store-bought gnocchi
fine. I'm pretty sure I must be doing something wrong
during the preparation.

Any ideas?

I haven't seen your recipe, but first of all:

- drop the semolina (this is most important). Use only soft
flour and eggs with your mashed potato.

- the potatoes for gnocchi should be very mealy, not waxy.
The original recipe from Nice recommends "old and mealy
potatoes". They should be well-cooked in order to avoid
lumps. Mealy potatoes make light gnocchi.

- mix the dough while the mashed potato is still hot.
Waiting until it has cooled down results in tough gnocchi.

- Don't handle the dough. Mix and knead with a fork or/and a
wooden spatula. Don't touch it with your hands except when
shaping the "sausage" from which you'll cut your gnocchi,
and then knead as little as possible.

- After cutting the gnocchi, use the back of a fork to give
them their definitive shape.

I suspect the toughness of your gnocchi is mostly caused by
the fact that you use semolina.

You can try this recipe I learned while growing up in
Nice (Nice is, like Genova, one of the birthplaces of
gnocchi). I've always made them that way and they're not
rubbery at all.

Gnocchi

2 pounds old and mealy potatoes
1/2 pound flour 1 egg Salt, pepper Grated parmesan or sbrinz
cheese Butter

Boil potatoes. Peel them.

Mash them through the finest grid of a "moulinette" (mouli-
légume, a device that "rices" potato without making a lump
of it). Don't wait until it gets cold and mix swiftly with
a fork, adding flour and beaten egg. Switch from fork to
wooden spatula when necessary. When dough is smooth, let
it rest for
2/2 hour.

Shape into balls the size of an egg and roll them into
"sausages" with one palm. Cut into 1-inch pieces.

You may press the middle of each gnocchi lightly with your
thumb or roll them on the board with the back of a fork to
make the traditional gnocchi "ridges".

Cook in boiling salted water. When the gnocchi rise to the
surface, they're cooked. Toss in butter, Parmesan cheese and
freshly milled pepper. You may also serve them in tomato
sauce or the sauce from a daube de boeuf.