Home-made gnocchi (gluten-free)

An easy-to-make alternative to the usual store-bought variety.

Vegetarian. Hands-on time: 10 mins. Total time: 25 mins.

Contributed by Mike Lewis (February 2010).

A vacuum pack of gnocchi is a great store-cupboard ingredient. It has a long shelf-life, is easy to cook, and makes a tasty accompaniment to many vegetarian dishes.

Unfortunately, every brand of ready-made gnocchi I've come across seems to contain wheat, which means it's not so wonderful for people with a gluten intolerance. However, this recipe for home-made gnocchi is not only free of gluten, it's also easy to make - and it tastes every bit as good as off-the-shelf variety.

These quantities make about three servings if served with pasta sauce or pesto, or four servings if used as an accompaniment to a main course (I've had great success using it with my Gnocchi di Patate with Roasted Vegetables recipe).

Ingredients

• 1 lb (450 g) of potatoes (peeled weight)
• 3 tbsp rice flour
• 3 tbsp tapioca flour
• 1 beaten egg
• salt and pepper to taste

Method

Start by boiling the potatoes in plenty of salted water. When ready, drain and mash coarsely. Leave to cool.

Add the remaining ingredients to the potatoes. Mix thoroughly to form a stiff dough.

Divide the dough into four equal portions. Roll out each portion into a cylinder shape, then cut it into pieces, with each piece about the size of a walnut. Roll each piece into a ball. You should end up with 25 to 30 pieces.

Bring a pan of water to the boil. Place the gnocchi in the pan, a few pieces at a time. After a couple of minutes, they will rise to the surface. Remove them with a slotted spoon. Keep warm until you are ready to use them.

Note on quantities and temperatures:
Quantities are given in American (cups), imperial (oz, fl oz) and metric (g, ml) units. Do not mix the units - use one or other system throughout the recipe.
See also How much does a cup weigh?
oz = ounces, fl oz = fluid ounces, g = grams, ml = milliliters, tsp = teaspoons, tbsp = tablespoons.
Oven temperatures are given in degrees F (Fahrenheit) and C (Celsius).
For fan-assisted ovens, reduce the temperature by 20F or 10C.