Gnocchi

Gnocchi freeze well, but they don't keep for long once you make them. So freeze any gnocchi you don't plan to eat right away.

6 large Idaho or russet potatoes ( about 4 pounds ), scrubbed, but unpeeled ( see Note )
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground white pepper
2 large eggs, beaten
4 cups unbleached flour, or as needed
Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese for serving

1. Boil the potatoes in plenty of water until easily pierced with a skewer, about 40 minutes. ( Note: Boil the potatoes just until tender, but not until the skins split. If they do, the potatoes will soak up water, and your Gnocchi will be heavy. ) Drain them, and, when cool enough to handle, peel them. While still quite warm, rice the potatoes onto a cool, smooth surface, preferably marble. Spread them out ( with a fork to prevent them from clumping ) to expose as much surface as possible to the air. ( When the potatoes are spread out, more steam will escape, and you'll need less flour to make the gnocchi, which will keep the gnocchi light. )

2. Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil in a large, heavy pot. Toss in 2 tablespoons of salt.

3. Gather the cooled potatoes into a mound and form a well in the center. Stir the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt and a dash of the pepper into the beaten eggs and pour the mixture into the well. Work the potatoes and eggs together with both hands, gradually adding enough flour, about 3 cups, to make a firm, but moist dough. Scrape up the dough from the work surface with a knife as often as necessary while working in the flour. Mixing the dough should take no longer than 10 minutes. The longer the dough is worked, the more flour it will require, and the heavier it will become.

4. Dust the dough, your hands, and the work surface lightly with flour and cut the dough into 6 equal parts. Continue to dust the dough, your hands, and the surface when the dough starts to feel sticky.

5. Roll each piece of dough with the palms of both hands into a rope 1/2-inch-thick. Cut the ropes crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces. Indent each piece with a thumb or use the tines of a fork to produce a ribbed effect. ( This facilitates adhesion of the sauce. )

6. Drop the gnocchi into boiling water, a few at a time, stirring gently and continuously with a wooden spoon, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until they rise to the surface. Remove the gnocchi with a slotted spoon or skimmer, transfer to a warm platter, and add a little sauce of choice. Boil the remaining pieces in batches until all are done. Sauce as desired, add pepper and cheese to taste, and serve immediately. Makes about 10 servings.

Variations: A few ways to serve gnocchi:

Scoop the gnocchi into a large serving bowl and drizzle some olive oil over them. Toss them with pesto and pass grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese at the table.

Toss the gnocchi with your favorite tomato sauce enriched with chopped olives, some roughly torn fresh basil leaves, and chopped fresh Italian parsley.

Melt butter over low heat so that it doesn't separate. Warm a generous amount of fresh sage leaves in the butter. Toss the sage butter with the cooked gnocchi and pass grated cheese separately.