Potato Gnocchi with Butter and Cheese

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Ingredients

• 2 pounds baking potatoes (about 4)

• 2 large egg yolks

• Salt

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter

• Freshly ground black pepper

• Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
   

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°. Pierce the potatoes all over with a fork. Bake in a microwave oven at high power for 10 minutes, then flip the potatoes and microwave for 5 minutes longer. Transfer the potatoes to the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Alternatively, bake the potatoes in the oven for about 1 hour, until tender.

2. Halve the potatoes. Scoop the flesh into a ricer and rice the potatoes. Transfer 2 slightly packed cups of riced potatoes to a bowl. Stir in the egg yolks and 1 teaspoon of salt. Add the 1/2 cup of flour; stir until a stiff dough forms. Knead the dough gently until smooth but slightly sticky.

3. Line a baking sheet with wax paper and dust with flour. On a floured surface, cut the dough into 4 pieces, rolling each into a 3/4-inch-thick rope. Cut the ropes into 3/4-inch pieces. Roll each piece against the tines of a fork to make ridges; transfer to the baking sheet.

4. In a large, deep skillet of simmering salted water, cook the gnocchi until they rise to the surface, then simmer for 2 minutes longer. In a large nonstick skillet, melt the butter. Using a slotted spoon, add the gnocchi to the butter. Season with salt and pepper and cook over high heat for 1 minute. Sprinkle with the cheese and serve.
   
   *Gnocchi always taste amazing with a Sunday Sauce! Yum! 
   
   
   
    

Fritelle alla Veneziane

Considered to be the national dessert of the Veneto province, Fritelle are small, fried, sweet doughnuts made of flour, eggs, sugar, lemon, and Marsala.  They can  also be made with a variety of extra ingredients including ‘frutta’ (fruit),cream, powdered sugar, or zabaglione.  Venetians have exceptional expertise with pastries and ‘i dolci’ (sweets).  Fritelle have been the traditional sweet of Carnival dating all the way back to the Renaissance!

Fritelle alla Veneziane
Ingredients:

• Wheat Flour doppio zero 00 500 g, sifted

• 4 tablespoons of Sugar

• 2 large organic Eggs

• 150 g of dried Raisins

• 60 g of Pinenuts zest one organic Lemon

• 25 g of Fresh Yeast

• 1 pinch of Salt 1/4 cup warm Water

• 1/4 cup Grappa (substitute Rum if necessary)

• Peanut Oil for deep frying or Lard

• powdered Sugar

Directions:

1. Soak the raisins in the Grappa (or Rum). Break up the yeast in the 1/4 cup warm water in a small bowl. Add a teaspoon of sugar and set aside. Put the sifted wheat flour and salt in a large bowl and mix in milk. Add the eggs and mix well. While stirring, add the yeast - water mixture and if you see that the dough is to hard, add an additional 2/3 cup milk. Continue stirring until smooth. This should be a very thick, doughy batter. Add the raisins, pine seeds, and remaining grappa and mix well. Cover the bowl with a clean damp cloth and place it in a warm spot. Allow the frittelle batter to rise for about 2 or 3 hours.

2. Fill a saucepan half full of peanut oil or lard.

3. Heat the oil. To test the temperature of oil, use a wooden toothpick: when the oil is ready, bubbles will come up from toothpick (remember do not heat oil to the smoke point: this is dangerous, and it will burn the frittelle).

4. Wet a tablespoon with cold water. Scoop up the batter, and push the batter off the spoon into the hot oil (remember the frittelle should not be too big). Repeat with 4 or 5 more spoonfuls of batter. Cook the frittelle until it has an golden brown color, turning it once or twice during cooking.

5. Remove the frittelle from the oil and drain on a paper towel. When the frittelle have cooled, sprinkle them with powdered sugar and place on a platter.

6. Buon Appetito!

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