My Gnocchi Adventure

I needed to make gnocchi for a meal, but hesitated at the high-glycemic, low fiber aspect of it. And I was disappointed at that, because I love gnocchi. In the spirit of moderation, it's probably okay to have them once in a while (once a year or so?), but I wondered if there was another solution.

They're made from potatoes, right? What if I used a yam or butternut squash? I bet that would be good! So I went to my copy of Silver Spoons.

If you don't have this quintessestential Italian cookbook, you should get it. It' s absolutely worth using. It's got a whole section on gnocchi. Pumpkin gnocchi, spinach gnocchi, parmesan gnocchi... wait. Are you sure I can have this stuff just once a year?

But guess what else? The very last recipe was for... whole wheat gnocchi! An interesting recipe, indeed: whole wheat flour, oat flakes, barley flakes...

How healthy can you get? So I made 'em. And they're wonderful! A little heartier, of course, than the pillow-soft potato potato kind, but tender and oh-so-biteable!

So with a bow to Silver Spoons, published in the U.S. by Phaidon Press:

Whole Wheat Gnocchi (with extra notes by me)

1/2 cup whole wheat flour (I thought it needed more binding, so I tossed in another handful - about 1/4 cup more)
1 1/4 cup oat flakes
1/2 cup barley flakes
1 cup milk (I used nonfat)
1 egg
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Heat the milk to just below simmering and set aside.
Mix the dry ingredients together, add the egg and milk and stir to combine. The dough shoud be soft but hold together.
Let rest for 30 minutes.
Using a floured surface and working with small batches, roll the dough into long rolls about 2/3 inch wide.
Cut the roll into pieces about 3/4 inch long. Transfer to a clean towel. Repeat until all the dough is used. Sprinkle a little flour over the pieces.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt lightly. Cook the gnocchi in batches for about 15 minutes. The batches should be small enough that the gnocchi can boil freely. Gnocchi are supposed to be done when they rise to the surface of the water, but these rose in about 5 minutes, so I let them cook the entire time.

Remove the gnocchi with a slotted spoon and add the next batch. (If your water gets too much flour in it, you might need to start fresh).

Serve with melted butter and parmesan cheese, or the sauce of your choice.

Or: freeze for later use. I lay them out on a cookie sheet, so they aren't touching each other and put that in the freezer for about 15 minutes. Then I transfered them to a baggie and tossed the whole thing in the freezer. I can pour out the number I want to cook, when I need them.

If you cook them from the frozen state, be sure to add more time. I'd add 5 minutes and taste one.