Why It Pays To Use A Gnocchi Board

Gnocchi is an Italian dumpling dish that's incredibly delicious. It comes in a variety of flavors, such as creamy chicken gnocchi and sweet potato gnocchi, making it perfect as a weeknight dinner or a lavish meal for guests. Its simple ingredients consist of only potato, flour, and eggs, so it's also an approachable recipe for those with limited pantries or experience. For best results, however, it is best to make the small lumps of dough with the addition of one specialty tool — a gnocchi board.

This piece of kitchen equipment is similar in appearance to a small cutting board but with the addition of deep grooves across its surface. By rolling bite-sized pieces of gnocchi dough across this board, you give your pieces of pasta a ridged texture. Doing so creates nooks and crannies that are ideal spots for your sauce to cling to, meaning you'll get more in your mouth and less left on your plate when you're done eating.

Picking the right gnocchi board is largely a matter of preference. They come in multiple sizes and materials, from wood to plastic. Some even have a handle for easier maneuvering — many cooks like to raise one side of the board slightly to create a sort of gnocchi slide as they work. While the wood variety is more traditional, plastic boards weigh less and are therefore more convenient for some. Whichever style you choose, this type of board is thankfully easy to use. 

First, prepare your dough by following your favorite recipe. After you have it ready, you can grab your board and orient it vertically. Then, take a ball of gnocchi and position it against the board, starting at the edge nearest to you. Pressing gently with your thumb, roll it away from you along the grooves. When the ball has been covered with ridges, it will naturally pop out from under your thumb. Repeat this process until all of your pieces of pasta have ridges and are ready to cook. The outcome is delicious dumplings that will hold onto whatever sauce you smother them in.