Serves 6 to 8
• 2 lbs. russet potatoes
• 1½ cups flour, and more if needed
• 2 teaspoons . salt
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• approximately ½ cup butter, melted, to taste Swiss or Parmesan cheese
1. Boil the potatoes in their jackets until they are tender. Drain them and allow them to cool slightly, then peel them and put them through a ricer or the finest blade of a food mill.
2. Work the potatoes, flour, salt, and egg into a dough, kneading it with your hand, until smooth. Add a little more flour if necessary. The dough should be manageable but soft.
3. Take ⅓ of the dough at a time and, on a lightly floured board, shape it into a long, thick cylinder. Roll the cylinder and stretch it gently until you have a rope about 1 inch thick. With a sharp knife, cut it in ½-inch bits. Rèpeat with the remaining dough.
4. To cook the gnocchi, drop them into 6 to 8 quarts of boiling salted water and boil them for 8 to 10 minutes, or until they are cooked through. Remove them with a slotted spoon and drain them.
5. Arrange the gnocchi in one layer in a well-buttered casserole or gratin dish, drizzle melted butter over them, and sprinkle them to your taste with grated Parmesan or Swiss cheese. Bake them in a preheated 350-degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until they are hot through and the cheese is beginning to brown.
6. The gnocchi can also be served with marinara sauce or cream sauce.
