Potato gnocchi

Poke the potatoes all over with a fork and bake at 375F about an hour, until the skins are crisp and the interiors pierce easily.

Remove the skins while hot, using a clean dish towel, so more steam escapes; less moisture makes lighter, fluffier gnocchi.

Pass the potatoes through a ricer once cooled slightly, or chill them a few hours and pass them through the fine holes of a cheese grater.

Measure 500 grams of riced potato onto a rimmed baking sheet, spread it out evenly and add one beaten egg yolk.

Sift about 100 grams of flour over the top, chop and mix it through with a bench scraper, then press it into one cohesive mass by hand.

Knead about 90 seconds; the more it is kneaded the tougher the gnocchi, and it is ready when smooth with no streaks of egg.

Roll into a log, cut into four even pieces, and roll each piece out into a rope about one inch thick on a floured surface.

Cut the rope into dumplings.

Shape: leave them pillow-shaped, roll them into balls, poke a deep divot with a finger, or press them across the tines of a fork with a thumb for ridges and a divot.

Dust with extra sifted flour so they do not stick.

To store, freeze on the tray about an hour until solid, lift them off with a long thin spatula and bag them; they cook from frozen with about 30 extra seconds in the water.

Cook in boiling salted water about 90 seconds; they are done when they pop up to the surface.