Autumn in Umbria is one of my favorite times of year. The heat of summer finally gives way to cooler, more comfortable days, and almost every weekend brings a local festival dedicated to a seasonal ingredient. Before leaving Italy, we visited Pietralunga for its White Truffle and Potato Festival, and the following weekend we traveled to Trevi for the Black Celery and Sausage Festival. These small Umbrian food festivals are a wonderful way to experience regional cooking, local traditions, and the ingredients that make Italian cuisine so memorable.

This particular fall was warmer than usual, so jackets were only needed very early in the morning or late in the evening. Fortunately, the mild weather lasted through our olive harvest at the end of October. Picking olives in a T-shirt is certainly more pleasant than doing the same work bundled in a winter coat, although every year in Umbria is different and never entirely predictable.

At the festival in Pietralunga, white truffles and locally grown potatoes were the main attractions. Stalls offered both ingredients to buy, and the town’s restaurants served dishes that highlighted one or both of them. We decided to have lunch at a local restaurant, where I ordered potato gnocchi with white truffles. It was simple, elegant, and exactly the kind of dish that proves how powerful a few excellent ingredients can be.

I have always loved gnocchi and could happily eat it often when it is made well. This version was handmade, tender, and topped with fragrant white truffles, so it was impossible not to enjoy. I liked the dish so much that I persuaded my husband to buy a generous bag of Pietralunga’s famous potatoes along with a couple of white truffles so I could recreate the recipe at home.

When I crave gnocchi, I often make ricotta gnocchi because they are quick, dependable, and usually turn out light and tender. For this dish, however, potato gnocchi was the only choice. To make the best potato gnocchi, I bake the potatoes instead of boiling them, then rice them while they are still warm. Baking helps keep the potatoes dry, which means the dough needs less flour.

Working with warm riced potatoes is also important. When the flour is mixed in while the potatoes are still warm, the dough comes together more easily and stays delicate. The goal is always a light, pillowy gnocchi rather than a dense or heavy one. The sauce I enjoyed in Pietralunga was very restrained, so at home I made a creamy but gentle truffle cheese sauce that kept the truffle flavor at the center of the dish without overwhelming the gnocchi.

Once the gnocchi were cooked and coated in the warm cheese sauce, my husband shaved fresh white truffle over the top just before serving. The result was rich, aromatic, and deeply satisfying. This potato gnocchi with truffle cheese sauce is one of those dishes I know I will remember and make again whenever I want a special Italian meal inspired by Umbria.

Making excellent homemade potato gnocchi is not difficult if you follow a few simple rules and begin with the right ingredients. Since the dough is made primarily from potatoes and all-purpose flour, choosing the right potato is essential. A starchy potato gives the best texture and helps create gnocchi that are tender but still hold their shape during cooking.

Russet potatoes, also known as baking or Idaho potatoes, are ideal for potato gnocchi. They have a dry, floury texture that becomes fluffy when baked. This makes them excellent not only for gnocchi, but also for baking, frying, and mashing. Yukon Gold potatoes, which are considered medium-starch potatoes, can also be used for gnocchi, but I prefer Russets for the lightest result.

When buying Russet potatoes, look for firm, dry potatoes without blemishes, cracks, wrinkles, or soft spots. Although potatoes are often sold in bags, I prefer choosing them by hand so I can select the best ones. If you buy bagged potatoes, choose perforated bags that allow air to circulate. Store potatoes in a cool, well-ventilated place, ideally between 45 and 50 degrees F. Avoid keeping them in warm areas, under the sink, near the dishwasher, or anywhere exposed to too much sunlight.

Fresh white truffles can be expensive and difficult to find, especially outside Italy. If they are not available, you can still enjoy the spirit of this recipe by using truffle cheese in the sauce and adding a small spoonful of chopped jarred truffles or tartufata, a truffle and mushroom puree. A small amount goes a long way. One useful tip I have learned over the years is that a little salt can help bring out the flavor of truffles, so season the dish carefully and taste as you go.

Buon Appetito!
Deborah Mele

Potato Gnocchi With Truffle Cheese Sauce

Yield:
Serves 4

Prep Time:
15 minutes

Cook Time:
35 minutes

Total Time:
50 minutes

Light, pillowy homemade potato gnocchi are served with a creamy truffle cheese sauce in this Umbrian-inspired Italian recipe.

Ingredients

Gnocchi

• 3 medium Russet potatoes, about 2 pounds after baking and ricing
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 egg yolks

Sauce

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups milk, plus more if needed
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup shredded truffle cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

To Serve

• Shaved fresh truffles
• Or
• A spoonful of jarred truffle product, such as chopped truffles or tartufata

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Bake the potatoes with their skins on until they are fork tender.
2. Cut the baked potatoes in half and let them cool for about 5 minutes.
3. Scoop out the potato flesh and press it through a potato ricer onto a clean counter or bread board.
4. Spread the riced potatoes out and allow them to cool until they are just warm to the touch.
5. Beat the egg yolks, then pour them over the warm riced potatoes.
6. Sprinkle 1 cup of flour and the salt over the potatoes. Use your fingers or a pastry scraper to gently work the flour into the potato mixture.
7. Gently knead the dough, adding the remaining 1/2 cup of flour only as needed, until the dough comes together and is no longer sticky.
8. Shape the dough into a log.
9. Divide the dough into three pieces, then roll each piece into a log about 1 inch in diameter.
10. Cut the logs into 1-inch pieces with a sharp knife and place the gnocchi on a lightly floured baking sheet.
11. Refrigerate the gnocchi until ready to cook.
12. To make the sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. When it is melted and bubbling, whisk in the flour.
13. Gradually whisk in the milk and cream. Continue cooking, whisking occasionally, until the sauce begins to thicken.
14. Add the truffle cheese and Parmesan cheese, then whisk until smooth. If the sauce becomes too thick, loosen it with a little extra milk.
15. Taste the sauce and season with salt and pepper.
16. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
17. Cook the chilled gnocchi until they float to the surface.
18. Drain the gnocchi and return them to the pot.
19. Add half of the truffle cheese sauce and gently stir to coat the gnocchi.
20. Serve in individual bowls with a little more sauce and shaved fresh truffle or your preferred truffle product.

Optional Truffle Products

• 
  La Rustichella Black Truffle Pate – 3.2 Oz.
• 
  Melchiorri Tartufata Black Truffle Sauce, 9.88 Ounce
• 
  TRUFFLES USA Whole Black Truffles 1.76 oz

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4
Serving Size: 1

Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 801
Total Fat: 43g
Saturated Fat: 26g
Trans Fat: 1g
Unsaturated Fat: 14g
Cholesterol: 214mg
Sodium: 965mg
Carbohydrates: 79g
Fiber: 5g
Sugar: 5g
Protein: 26g