LoBello's Spaghetti House: Gnocchi

1) Place 1kg of the flour and the potato flakes in a large bowl. Retain the remaining flour for later use. Add 120ml of the water to the dry ingredients and mix by hand. Continue to add water by the tbsp until the flour is incorporated but not sticky. If the dough mixture becomes too sticky add flour until it is dry to the touch.

2) Lightly flour the working surface. Turn the dough mixture onto the floured working surface and continue to knead until it is smooth. Cover the dough with a clean towel and let it rest for approximately 15 minutes.

3) Once the dough has rested, divide it into 4 pieces. Re-flour each piece thoroughly. Using a rolling pin, flatten each piece of dough until it is approximately 0.3cm thick.

4) Using a pizza cutter, cut each piece of dough into strips approximately 1cm wide and each strip into little nuggets approximately 2cm wide. Using the tip of a dinner fork slightly tilted on an angle, press each nugget into the fork tip and roll downward. This will give you a little round piece of dough with ridges.

5) Place the finished gnocchi on a floured tray until the process has been completed with all of the remaining dough. Meanwhile bring 6L of water to a rolling boil.

6) Add the finished gnocchi carefully to the boiling water and stir completely to avoid sticking. Reduce the heat to a slow boil and cook the gnocchi for approximately 8 minutes or until the desired tenderness is attained.

7) Drain the gnocchi thoroughly using a colander and serve immediately with your favourite sauce.