Potato Gnocchi

This is my mother's recipe for Potato Gnocchi.  We love her light Gnocchi that are so delicate to the taste.  Instead of baking the potatoes she uses Idaho potato bits.  Her Gnocchi is light and melt in your mouth.

2 cups Idaho potato bits
1 1/2 cup boiling water
1 cup flour
1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
1 egg beaten

Place potato bits in large mixing bowl. Add boiling water mixing until all the bits become a dense mashed potato. Add rest of the ingredients except egg. Make a well in center of bowl and add egg.  Mix with wooden spoon then finish kneading  gently with hands to form dough. 
Keeping your work surface and the dough lightly floured, cut the dough into 4 pieces. Roll each piece into a rope about 1/2-inch in diameter. Cut into 1/2-inch-long pieces. Lightly flour the gnocchi as you cut them. You can cook these as is or I like to form them into the an indented pillow. I take the knuckle of my index finger and dip in flour. Using this knuckle I create a little pocket then I gently pinch the ends together with my thumb and index finger.   The indentation holds the sauce and helps gnocchi cook faster.

As you shape the gnocchi, dust them lightly with flour and scatter them on baking sheets lined with parchment paper or waxed paper. If you are using right away let them set to dry for half hour before cooking.  If you will not cook the gnocchi until the next day or later, freeze them.

When ready to cook, bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt. Drop in the gnocchi and cook for about 90 seconds from the time they rise to the surface. Remove the cooked gnocchi with a simmer, shake off the excess water, and serve as desired.
Gnocchi go well with all types of sauces from red, to cream to pesto. Also you can use Gnocchi in your favorite soup instead of noodles or rice, Be creative.

Enjoy!