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Makes 4 Servings 1x
Time 1 1/2 Hours
1. Roast, steam, or boil the parsnips until very tender. (If boiling or steaming, be sure to drain well before proceeding.) Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it.
2. Purée the parsnips in a food processor until smooth; sprinkle with some salt and pepper. Transfer the mixture to a bowl. Add about 1 cup of the flour, the Parmesan, and the nutmeg, if you’re using it, and stir. Add more flour until the mixture forms a dough you can handle. Knead for a minute or so on a lightly floured work surface. Pinch off a piece of the dough and boil it to make sure it will hold its shape; if it does not, knead in a bit more flour. The idea is to make a dough with as little flour and kneading as possible.
3. Roll a piece of the dough into a rope about 1/2 inch thick, then cut the rope into 1-inch lengths; spin each piece off the tines of a fork to score it lightly. As each gnocchi is ready, put it on a sheet of wax paper; do not allow them to touch.
4. A few at a time, add the gnocchi to the boiling water and stir. A minute after they rise to the surface, the gnocchi are done; remove with a slotted spoon. Put in a bowl and sauce, or reheat in butter within a few minutes; these do not keep well.
Sage, Brown Butter and Parmesan
Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 20 fresh sage leaves and cook until the butter browns and the sage sizzles, swirling the butter a few times. Remove from the heat. Add the cooked gnocchi to the skillet, toss with a handful of freshly grated Parmesan, and serve.
Sweet Potato Gnocchi
Substitute sweet potatoes for the parsnips. You might need to add up to 1/2 cup more flour, depending on your sweet potatoes.