Instant Mashed Potato Gnocchi Al Forno | America's Test Kitchen

 Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees.Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees.Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees.

Instant Mashed Potato Gnocchi (Al Forno - optional)

SERVES Serves 4 (makes about 22 ounces of dough)

TIME 1¾ hours

INGREDIENTS

Gnocchi

2 cups (4 ounces) plain instant mashed potato flakes

1 cup (5 ounces) all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons table salt, plus salt for cooking gnocchi

1½ cups water

1 large egg

Sauce (optional, you can use whatever you like)

2 tablespoons

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

¼ teaspoon pepper

¼ teaspoon

½ cup fresh basil leaves, torn into ½-inch pieces

½ cup

1 ½ cups shredded

BEFORE YOU BEGIN

For this recipe we used Idahoan Original Mashed Potatoes. Do not use flavored instant mashed potato flakes. It is important to knead the dough to the texture of Play-Doh in step 2, or it will be too tender and difficult to roll into ropes. In step 3, be sure to very lightly dust the counter with flour before rolling the dough into ropes to keep them from sticking. A good-quality jarred marinara, such as Rao's, can be substituted for the canned tomato sauce. Be sure to use a broiler-safe skillet.

For the Gnocchi

• 2 cups potato flakes
• 1 cup all-purpose flour (plus extra for dusting)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup water
• 1 large egg

For the Sauce

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (28 oz) can tomato sauce
• 1 tsp sugar
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped

For Finishing

• ½ cup ricotta cheese
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan

Make the Gnocchi

1. Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together potato flakes, flour, and salt.
2. Add wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk water and egg. Stir into potato mixture until a dough ball forms. Let sit 3 minutes to hydrate.
3. Knead: Turn dough onto a lightly floured counter. Knead until texture resembles Play-Doh and springs back halfway when poked (about 3 minutes). Dust lightly with flour and rest 5 minutes.
4. Shape: Divide dough into 6 pieces. Roll each into a ¾‑inch rope. Cut crosswise into ¾‑inch pieces. Place on floured baking sheet.
5. Groove: Press each piece against the tines of a fork and roll downward to create ridges. Return to baking sheet.

Make the Sauce

1. Broil setup: Adjust oven rack to 8 inches below broiler. Heat broiler.
2. Cook garlic: In a broiler‑safe skillet, heat oil and garlic over medium until fragrant and lightly golden (about 2 minutes).
3. Add tomatoes: Stir in tomato sauce, sugar, pepper, and oregano. Simmer briefly, then remove from heat. Stir in basil. Cover to keep warm.

Cook the Gnocchi

1. Boil water: Bring 4 quarts water to boil in a large pot. Add 1 tbsp salt.
2. Cook gnocchi: Add half the gnocchi, stir gently, and simmer until they float (about 1½ minutes). Remove with slotted spoon to skillet with sauce. Repeat with remaining gnocchi.

Finish the Dish

1. Combine: Toss gnocchi with sauce in skillet.
2. Top with cheese: Dollop ricotta over gnocchi, sprinkle mozzarella on top.
3. Broil: Place skillet under broiler until cheese is browned (about 3 minutes).
4. Rest & serve: Let sit 5 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan and serve hot.

TO MAKE AHEAD: At end of step 4, gnocchi can be frozen on sheet. Once frozen, transfer to airtight container or zipper lock bag and keep frozen for up to 1 month. Cook from frozen and increase cooking time to 3 minutes.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

Gnocchi are both delicious and fun, and they can actually be easy to make—with a little help from a convenience product. We simply combined instant mashed potato flakes, all-purpose flour, salt, water, and a whole egg and stirred until the mixture formed a ball. After a 3-minute rest for the potato flakes and flour to fully hydrate and the dough to relax, we kneaded the dough and gave it another quick rest. Then we divided the dough into six even pieces and rolled each piece into a ¾-inch-thick log before cutting it into ¾-inch dumplings. We shaped the dumplings, added them to salted boiling water, and cooked them for about 1½ minutes. Then we tossed them with a simple tomato-basil sauce; dolloped them with ricotta cheese; covered them with whole-milk mozzarella; and broiled everything until the top was melted, gooey, and beginning to have some browned spots. These gnocchi also keep wonderfully in the freezer, extending their shelf life and making a future dinner even quicker if you make a batch to eat now and one to freeze. With this recipe and technique in hand, you'll be making gnocchi regularly at home instead of waiting for a night out.