Instant Mashed Potato Gnocchi with Browned Butter–Caper Sauce
By America's Test KitchenPublished on October 19, 2021
Time
1½ hours
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
Gnocchi
2 cups (4 ounces/113 grams) plain instant mashed potato flakes 1 cup (5 ounces/142 grams) all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons table salt, plus salt for cooking gnocchi1½ cups water 1 large eggSauce
6 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 tablespoons minced shallot 2 tablespoons capers, minced1 tablespoon lemon juiceBefore 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. If using salt-packed capers, rinse them before mincing.
Instructions
- Whisk potato flakes, flour, and salt together in large bowl. Whisk water and egg together in separate bowl. Add water mixture to potato flake mixture and stir with wooden spoon until fully combined and mixture forms dough ball. Let sit for 3 minutes for potato flakes and flour to hydrate.
- Turn out dough onto lightly floured counter and knead until dough has texture of Play-Doh and springs back halfway when poked with your finger, about 3 minutes. Lightly dust dough with flour and let rest on counter for 5 minutes.
- Divide dough into 6 equal pieces. On very lightly floured counter, roll 1 piece into ¾-inch-thick rope. Lightly dust rope with flour. Using floured bench scraper, cut rope crosswise into ¾-inch pieces; transfer gnocchi to lightly floured rimmed baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough pieces.
- Press gnocchi, cut side down, on tines of fork, then roll downward to create grooves. If dough sticks, dust your thumb and fork with flour. Return gnocchi to sheet.
- Melt butter in 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Cook, swirling skillet often, until butter is color of milk chocolate and has toasty aroma, 3 to 5 minutes. Add shallot and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Off heat, stir in capers and lemon juice. Cover to keep warm.
- Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon salt to boiling water. Add half of gnocchi, then stir gently to keep from sticking. Simmer until just cooked through and gnocchi float to top, about 1½ minutes. Using spider skimmer or slotted spoon, transfer gnocchi to skillet with sauce. Return water to boil and repeat with remaining gnocchi.
- Place skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring gently, until hot throughout and gnocchi are well coated with sauce, about 2 minutes. Season with salt to taste. Sprinkle with Parmesan and serve.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.
for the gnocchi
for the sauce
Time
1½ hoursYield
Serves 4Ingredients
Gnocchi
Sauce
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Gnocchi
Sauce
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Gnocchi
Sauce
Test Kitchen Techniques
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 dressed the gnocchi with a simple browned butter–caper sauce. 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.
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. If using salt-packed capers, rinse them before mincing.
Instructions
- Whisk potato flakes, flour, and salt together in large bowl. Whisk water and egg together in separate bowl. Add water mixture to potato flake mixture and stir with wooden spoon until fully combined and mixture forms dough ball. Let sit for 3 minutes for potato flakes and flour to hydrate.
- Turn out dough onto lightly floured counter and knead until dough has texture of Play-Doh and springs back halfway when poked with your finger, about 3 minutes. Lightly dust dough with flour and let rest on counter for 5 minutes.
- Divide dough into 6 equal pieces. On very lightly floured counter, roll 1 piece into ¾-inch-thick rope. Lightly dust rope with flour. Using floured bench scraper, cut rope crosswise into ¾-inch pieces; transfer gnocchi to lightly floured rimmed baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough pieces.
- Press gnocchi, cut side down, on tines of fork, then roll downward to create grooves. If dough sticks, dust your thumb and fork with flour. Return gnocchi to sheet.
- Melt butter in 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Cook, swirling skillet often, until butter is color of milk chocolate and has toasty aroma, 3 to 5 minutes. Add shallot and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Off heat, stir in capers and lemon juice. Cover to keep warm.
- Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon salt to boiling water. Add half of gnocchi, then stir gently to keep from sticking. Simmer until just cooked through and gnocchi float to top, about 1½ minutes. Using spider skimmer or slotted spoon, transfer gnocchi to skillet with sauce. Return water to boil and repeat with remaining gnocchi.
- Place skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring gently, until hot throughout and gnocchi are well coated with sauce, about 2 minutes. Season with salt to taste. Sprinkle with Parmesan and serve.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.
for the gnocchi
for the sauce
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