Topini di Patate (Potato

by: EatItalian.com

Reviews 0

Posted: February 15, 2011

Recipe Credits: Giuliano Bugialli, The Fine Art of Italian Cooking

Topini di patate are the Florentine counterpart of gnocchi, but are made into the shape of "little mice". Topini are versatile, and may be served with a variety of sauces - fresh tomato, butter and cheese, pesto.

Recipe Summary

Prep Time: 5 Minutes

Cooking Time: 30 Minutes

Servings: 5 to 6

Ingredients

Pound

Potatoes

(not new potatoes)

3/4

Cup

All Purpose Flour

Tablespoon

Butter

Nutmeg

(freshly grated)

Salt

Coarse Grained Salt

Directions

1. Steam - do not boil- the potatoes until cooked but firm, then peel.
2. Spread the flour on a pasta board. Pass the potatoes through a potato ricer onto the flour. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and nutmeg, then start incorporating the flour, little by little, into the potatoes until the dough is homogeneous and all but a1/2 cup of the flour is incorporated. Knead gently for 5-6 minutes.
3. Cut the dough into several pieces and roll each piece into a long thin roll about 1/2 inch in diameter. Cut each roll into 1-inch pieces.
4. Use the dull inside of a convex hand cheese grater. Hold a 1-inch piece of dough at the top of the grater with the middle fingers of one hand. Lightly draw the piece around in a motion that makes the cursive letter "c". The resultant shape should be the quasi-shells which the Florentines think resemble "little mice," and which they prefer to more usual gnocchi. Use the remaining flour to flour the grater and continue to shape topini until all the dough is used.
5. Place a stockpot containing a large quantity of cold water on the heat. While the water is heating, melt the butter in a small saucepan and pour it into a serving dish. Place the serving dish next to the stockpot.
6. When the water is boiling, add coarse salt to taste, then raise the heat and quickly drop all the topini, one by one, into the stockpot.
7. Lightly stir the water with a wooden spoon, to keep the topini from sticking. After a few seconds, the topini will come to the surface of the water; let them cook for 1 minute more.
8. With a strainer-skimmer, remove the topini to the serving dish. Serve hot, with the sauce of your choice.