The
ABC's
of Cooking with
Lynn Fredericks
author of Cooking
Time Is Family Time
E is
for Equipment
Potato
Gnocchi a la Amarone
Adapted from Lynne Fredericks'
Cooking Time is Family Time.
Equipment: potato ricer, masher or fork
After the thrill of passing whole, cooked potatoes through the ricer,
my son's little hands made quick work of the potentially time-consuming task
of forming individual gnocchi. Since that first experiment, gnocchi-making
has become a regular part of my parents' and kids' culinary classes.
Everyone loves the alchemy of turning the potatoes and flour into light and
delicious nuggets to be drenched with their favorite sauce. Hopefully, your family
will have as much fun as well.
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:
- 2 potatoes
- 1/2
cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2
cup semolina flour
- 1/3
cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 2 teaspoons
kosher salt
1. Fill a large pot two-thirds full with water and bring to a boil. Have older children peel potatoes, quarter them and place them in the pot. Simmer for approximately 20 minutes or until potatoes are very tender when pierced with a fork.
2. When the potatoes are cooking, have the children measure the flours
and grate the cheese with a box grater. Place these ingredients in separate
small bowls. When the potatoes are cooked, parents should remove the pot
from the heat and drain, taking care that children are at a safe
distance, as the steam is very hot and dangerous.
3. Now spread the potatoes on a cutting board or counter. Help the
children put the potatoes through the potato ricer or masher. Mash until there
are no lumps. Spread the potatoes over a lightly floured surface and have a
younger child sprinkle a "light" handful of semolina flour over the
potato. Parents or older children then work the potato and semolina flour into dough, by alternating handfuls of each flour and the cheese, kneading in
between each handful. Knead well until the mixture becomes dough-like
and no longer sticky.
4. Roll the dough into a thick log and assist an older child in cutting
into 3 inch long pieces. Now have children roll each piece into a thin
(3/4 inch diameter) coil. Cut these into one-half inch pieces, and roll each
one along the prongs of a fork. (There is an illustration in my book.) Place
in a floured bowl so they do not stick.
5. While you are all forming the gnocchi, place a medium saucepan
two-thirds full with salted water and bring to a boil. When all the gnocchi's are
formed, place them in boiling water for one minute, or until they float
to the top. Remove and place in ice water to stop the cooking process.
Drain and serve warm with butter or marinara sauce and herbs.
Cooking
with Kids Home
The ABC's of Cooking ::: Aa
|Bb
|Cc
|Dd
|Ee
|Ff
|Gg
|Hh
|Ii
|Jj
|Kk
|Ll
Kid's Meals |
Lynn's Thoughts on
Feeding Her Children | Recipes
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