Whole Wheat Gnocchi from scratch is a good way to include whole grains into your daily diet. This recipe is perfect for preparing the famous Italian gnocchi using another type of flour, which gives them a different texture and makes them more nutritious.
You can prepare these delicious whole wheat gnocchi at home, freeze them and then serve them with the sauce of your choice any of these busy days where you need something quick to cook for your family.
What are gnocchi?
Gnocchi are a traditional Italian dish made with few and simple ingredients like flour, potatoes, and eggs. With these ingredients a dough is made -just as a dough for fresh pasta- and then is cut into small bites to be boiled in water and finally to be served with various sauces.
In Italy there are several types of gnocchi, from the traditional ones with only flour, egg and potatoes to the more elaborate ones that use other ingredients to give them a touch of flavor and / or color such as pumpkin gnocchi (oranges) or spinach gnocchi ( green).
Among the variants are also those that use other types of flour, either to give them a different consistency or for diet/personal preferences. For example, the gluten-free gnocchi or the ones we’re sharing today: whole wheat gnocchi.
Can you freeze gnocchi?
You can freeze whole wheat gnocchi for up to 2 months, just make sure to place them in a single layer on a baking pan or plate, put them in the freezer until solid then remove them and gather them into a bag and place them again in the freezer until needed.
Ingredients
FLOUR – To prepare this recipe you will need whole wheat flour. Sometimes between flour’s brands there are some differences. For example, some whole wheat flours can absorbs more than other. So when you will prepare the gnocchi you should add or remove one or two tablespoons of flour if you see the dough needs more or less.
POTATOES – The type of potatoes you use is important as some types have more water than others. I personally prefer red-skinned potatoes, but you can use whatever potatoes are available. My recommendation is to cook the potatoes without peeling them, as this helps the potatoes to absorbs less water during cooking.
EGGS – Normally one egg is used for every kilo of potatoes. If you want to make less (as in this recipe) you should use a small egg, normally organic or free range eggs are very small for example, so you can use one of those or add half of a regular egg.
SEMOLINA – This is optional since it is only used to flour lightly the gnocchi once they are prepared, thus preventing them from sticking together. But you can also use flour if you don’t have semolina.
Whole Wheat Gnocchi Recipe
Place the potatoes (skin on) in a pot, cover them completely with water and cook them until they are tender. Once they are cooked, let them cool enough to be handle without burning your hands, then peel them and mash them using a potato masher.
Place potatoes on a working surface. Add the flour on top, then make a small well in the center and crack the egg. Add a pinch of salt and beat lightly the egg with a fork.
Begin to integrate the ingredients with your fingertips.
Work the dough quickly with your hands, just enough to integrate the ingredients and achieve a soft dough (about half a minute).
Divide the dough into three or four portions and with each portion form ropers about 2.5cm (1 ″) thick.
Cut the gnocchi into 2-2.5cm (1 ″) thick bites.
One by one pass them through the tines of a fork pressing lightly with the thumb to make the typical gnocchi lines (watch below).
As you are preparing them, place them immediately on a tray to which you have previously sprinkled with semolina or flour.
The whole wheat gnocchi are ready. You can cook them immediately or freeze them for later use.
What do you eat gnocchi with?
Whole wheat gnocchi are just as regular pasta, so toss them with your favourite sauces, I’ll leave you below a few recipes and ideas to serve your homemade gnocchi with.
SICILIAN PESTO: So easy to make, simply place all of the ingredients in a food processor and pulse 1 or 2 times!
VEGGIE GNOCCHI WITH SPINACHS: A healthy and perfect recipe, to warm you up and keep you satisfied. Thanks “Picky Eater Blog” for the recipe.
CINNAMON BUTTER GNOCCHI: How about sweet gnocchi? This is a very interesting recipe from “Surprising Recipes”.
Whole Wheat Gnocchi
Ingredients
- 200 gr (1 ¾ cup) whole wheat flour
- 500 gr (1.1 lb) potatoes
- 1 small egg
- salt
Instructions
- Place the potatoes (skin on) in a pot, cover them completely with water and cook them until they are tender. Once they are cooked, let them cool enough to be handle without burning your hands, then peel them and mash them using a potato masher.
- Place potatoes on a working surface. Add the flour on top, then make a small well in the center and crack the egg. Add a pinch of salt and beat lightly the egg with a fork.
- Begin to integrate the ingredients using the tips of your fingers.
- Work the dough quickly with your hands, just enough to integrate the ingredients and achieve a soft dough (about half a minute).
- Divide the dough into three or four portions and with each portion form ropers about 2.5cm (1 ″) thick.
- Cut the gnocchi into 2-2.5cm (1 ″) thick bites and one by one pass them through the tines of a fork pressing lightly with the thumb to make the typical gnocchi lines (watch the video below!).
- As you are preparing them, place them immediately on a tray to which you have previously sprinkled with semolina or flour.
- The whole wheat gnocchi are ready. You can cook them immediately or freeze them for later use.
Como se cocinan? En agua hirviendo o en un sarten? Gracias!
Amé el video de como haces la forma, no sabÃa cómo. ¡Y sà que se requiere verlo varias veces! Gracias.
De nada, Ivonne! que bueno que te fue útil :)
Looks delicious! I love gnocchi, but still haven’t made them myself. I am thinking to change that and will try this recipe soon.