nocchi completes the blessed trio of Tyrolean cuisine: Polenta, canerdeli e gnocchi! It makes a great deal of sense.

Oru people had corn meal, grew and ate potatoes and with their stale bread and leftovers, they made canderdeli. While not the most wholesome or healthy of foods, they are so good. . .and probably provide us with many memories of our kitchen tables. . .I do remember that our table in Manhattans Greenwich Village, my mom, Adele, would make gnocchi and my father, Gustin. . . brother Nino and I would compare with determination as to which of us could eat more individual gnocchi. . .They are easy to make but probably are themselves quite fussy about what sauce are compatible with their history so keep them any such marinara sauce.

Our Cuisine: Gnocchi de Patate

All you need are potatoes, some flour and eggs. The potatoes are usually boiled with their skins to preserve their starch. When cool the potatoes are put through a ricer, found in many stores or on Amazon. One adds an egg and flour. Like so many recipes from our none, there is that mysterious undefined measurement of. . .en cit di questo. . . or en micol. . . or a little of this and a little of that. Here are the proportions that I distilled from a variety of persons here in the Trentino (where I am writing this).

Assemble 2 pounds of potatoes, 1 cups of flour, an egg, salt. Steam the potatoes until tender. Pass them through a ricer while still hot (watch your fingers). Add a slightly beaten egg and the flour and salt kneading it to a soft, elastic dough. Note. . .if too much flour and the gnocchi will be hard; too much potato, the gnocchi will disintegrate while cooking. Shape the dough into long rolls just over 2/3 inch in diameter and cut into inch lengths. Bring a large pan of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the gnocchi, a few at a time, and remove them with a slotted spoon as they rise to the surface. Drain, place on a warm plate and add your sauce. Our peasant anestors simply add melted butter and grated cheese.

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