Matzo Gnocchi with Brown Butter and Sage

This recipe of pillowy Passover Matzo Gnocchi with Brown Butter and Sage uses finely ground matzo meal in place of the usual semolina or all-purpose flour, making this a comforting dish for a Passover meal. Similar to traditional Northern Italian gnocchi, starchy potatoes are used in the dough, bound with egg, then the mixture is formed into bite-sized dumplings that get a quick boil. Sage and butter is a classic Italian sauce for gnocchi and is ideal for a Passover dairy menu. You can serve it as either an entree or hearty side dish. Enjoy!

Active Time: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours and 30 minutes
Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

Gnocchi

• 3 pounds whole russet potatoes, scrubbed
• Kosher salt
• 2½ cups matzo meal
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten

Sauce

• 1½ sticks (¾ cup) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 8 sage leaves, cut into thin ribbons
• ⅛ teaspoon grated nutmeg
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 ounces Parmesan, shaved with a vegetable peeler (about 1½ cups)

Method

1. For the gnocchi: Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover by 1 inch with salted water. Bring to a boil, adjust the heat and simmer until they are tender when pierced with a fork or the tip of a paring knife, about 25 minutes. Drain the potatoes and set them aside until cool enough to handle.
2. Remove the potato skins with a paring knife and cut the potatoes into large chunks. Pass the chunks through a potato ricer (see Cook’s Note) onto a clean work surface. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of salt over the potatoes; cool completely.
3. Meanwhile, pulse the matzo meal in a spice grinder or blender until very finely ground (it should be similar in texture to flour). Line a baking sheet with parchment.
4. Sprinkle 2 cups of the matzo meal over the cooled potatoes. Pour the eggs over the matzo meal and begin to work the mixture together with a fork. Once the mixture begins to clump together, use your hands to gently knead until the ingredients are fully combined, about 2 minutes. Gather the dough together into a smooth ball and let rest for about 15 minutes.
5. Lightly dust a work surface with a some of the reserved matzo meal. Cut the dough into 8 equal pieces. Working with one piece at a time, roll the dough into a 12-inch rope. Use a knife or bench scraper to cut the rope into ¾-inch pieces; place the cut gnocchi on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough. Gnocchi can be prepared to this point up to 2 days ahead; wrap the baking sheet in plastic and refrigerate.
6. For the sauce: Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until brown flecks appear and the butter smells nutty, 5 to 6 minutes. Sprinkle in the sage and nutmeg and continue to cook, swirling the pan, until the butter is golden brown, about 1 minute more. Be careful not to let the butter burn. Remove from the heat and season with salt and black pepper; set aside while you cook the gnocchi.
7. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Working in batches, add about a third of the gnocchi at a time and cook until they begin to float and the water returns to a rapid simmer, about 2 minutes. Use a slotted spoon or spider to transfer the gnocchi to the skillet with the butter sauce as they are cooked. Reserve 1/4 cup of the gnocchi cooking water.
8. Toss the gnocchi gently in the butter sauce. Add half of the cheese and 2 tablespoons of the reserved cooking water and toss again; add more water if necessary so the sauce coats the gnocchi. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.

Cook’s Note
Using a ricer ensures that the potatoes are smooth and light, not lumpy or gluey, so that they mix nicely into the rest of the ingredients and the gnocchi turn out tender.

From foodnetwork.com