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Dennis Patillo is a committed foodie and chef. He has spent a lifetime studying foods from around the world as well as regional cuisines.

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In my opinion, fresh, homemade pasta is one the great joys of life. Although there are many good options for store-bought pasta, they really do not compare to what you can make at home in just a few minutes.

Some believe that they cannot make fresh pasta because they do not have the requisite equipment. It is the case that many pastas are easier to make if you have a pasta machine. These machines are not expensive and should be a requirement in every well-equipped kitchen. Today, however, we will discuss a pasta classic that the only tools required are your hands, a knife and a fork.

The ingredients are very basic: potatoes, eggs, flour and a touch of water. Today, we are talking about gnocchi. In their most traditional form, gnocchi are small potato dumplings. A derivative of the word gnocchi means knuckle or knot. This gives you an idea of their general size. Using a fork and your thumb, ridges are pressed into one side. This allows the sauce of choice to easily coat the dumpling.

Gnocchi have been around a long time in Italian cooking. The potato gnocchi dates back to the 16th or 17th century although other forms of gnocchi go back hundreds of years earlier. Many believe that gnocchi actually predate other traditional and familiar forms of pasta.

A small portion of gnocchi is served in the pasta portion or “primo” course of an Italian meal. Today, it is not uncommon to serve a larger portion as a main course. Gnocchi is served with a dizzying array of sauces from the simplest butter and sage sauce to a long simmering Bolognese sauce. Today we will take a look at how to make gnocchi and suggest a few simple sauces you may want to try.

Let me begin by saying that gnocchi recipes not only vary from region to region in Italy, but they also vary from family to family. Potato gnocchi begins with cooked, mostly russet potatoes, and here is where the debate begins. Should the potatoes be roasted or should they be boiled? Those that like their potatoes roasted believe the flavor is more intense and the consistency of the dough can be better controlled by adding only the amount of water needed.

Those that like the boiling method believe that the dough is slightly more tender and accepts the flour a little more easily. I go for the roasting method because that is the way my grandmother taught me.

Begin by roasting a pound of russet potatoes. When they are cool enough to handle, peel and pass them through a potato ricer. If you do not have a potato ricer you can do this step with a traditional potato masher or a fork, but a ricer is the way to go. A ricer gives you the perfect consistency for the next step. To the potatoes, add a couple of teaspoons of Kosher salt, 1¼ cups of flour and 2 eggs that you have beaten lightly.

Mix ingredients together and transfer to a floured work surface. Knead the dough for just a couple of minutes. You want the dough to be smooth and a little sticky. If you knead the dough too much you will end up with tough gnocchi and no one likes that. Divide the dough into five or six balls and roll each ball into a rope about ¾ inch in diameter. Now cut the rope into ¾-inch segments. Dust these segments with flour to keep them from sticking.

You can stop here, but I encourage you take the final step of lightly rolling each segment across the tines of a fork using your thumb. If you have used the right pressure your pasta will have small ridges on one side and an indention created by your thumb on the other side.

Add the gnocchi to rapidly boiling water and cook for 4 or 5 minutes. The gnocchi will float to the top. Remove the gnocchi from the water and place directly into your sauce of choice.

My favorite sauce is frankly the easiest. Take 4 to 6 tablespoons of butter and about 5 or 6 fresh sage leaves and melt the butter over medium heat. Add about a half a cup of the pasta water and then add the gnocchi to the butter sage sauce. Remove to a serving dish and top with a generous amount of either Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano.

If you are serving beef, you might want to try a simple sauce made with gorgonzola and heavy cream. Simply warm the two ingredients together.

Gnocchi is a wonderful dish to have in your culinary arsenal. I hope you will give it a try.

Dennis Patillo is a committed foodie and chef. He has spent a lifetime studying foods from around the world as well as regional cuisines. His passion is introducing people to ingredients and techniques that can be used in their home kitchen. He and his wife, Louise, own The PumpHouse Riverside Restaurant and Bar.

This recipe is identical to the gnocchi described above with the substitution of sweet potatoes for the russet potatoes. You could also use any winter squash should you desire. I have also used beets.

Roast the potatoes until tender. When cool enough to handle, peel, and pass the potatoes through a potato ricer into a bowl. Stir in 2 teaspoons of salt, the flour, and eggs until dough forms. Transfer dough to a work surface. Knead until smooth, 1-2 minutes. Divide dough into 6 balls. Working with one ball at a time, roll dough into a 20-inch rope about 3/4 of an inch thick. Cut crosswise into 3/4 of an inch pieces. Toss with some flour to prevent sticking. Roll each piece along the tines of a fork. The gnocchi should have small ridges on one side and an indention on the other side where your thumb was. Place on a parchment covered baking sheet. Chill until ready to use.

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. When the water is boiling vigorously, ease the gnocchi into the water a few at a time to prevent them sticking together. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes. When done, the gnocchi will float to the surface.

While the gnocchi are cooking, prepare the sauce. In a large skillet, melt 6 tablespoons of butter. Add 6 fresh sage leaves to the butter and ¼ cup of the pasta water. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes.

When the gnocchi are done, remove from the pot and place in the sauce. Stir the gnocchi in the sauce to make sure they are thoroughly coated. Place on a heated serving platter and pour the remaining sauce over the gnocchi. Top with ½ cup of freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano.

Serve as a main course or as a side with roasted pork or chicken.

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