Can You Freeze Gnocchi?
To all the Italian food lovers out there, if you are facing a problem storing gnocchi, here are some tips that will help you freeze gnocchi! So, gnocchi is an alternate substitute for pasta and tastes significantly well.
Gnocchi is made from different recipes which we will discuss in later sections. It tastes best when served with different kinds of sauces that add an amazing flavor to it. A gnocchi is a perfect snack or meal you can prep and freeze for using it later.
You can keep it uncooked in the freezer and use it later as a snack for your kids or your parties! However, there are some things you should know before freezing gnocchi. Keep reading till the end to find out.
How Can You Freeze Gnocchi?
Unlike other food items, freezing gnocchi is a cup of tea. There isn’t any preparation that you must do from the beginning, nor do you need any extra supplies to freeze this flavorful item. Simply follow these quick and easy steps to freeze gnocchi.
Firstly, prepare your gnocchi and give them the desired shapes as per your choice. Then, take a baking tray and spread a sheet of parchment paper on it. Now start aligning your gnocchi on this tray so that they are equal distances apart.
Shift the tray to the freezer for three hours minimum for flash freezing. Flash-freezing gnocchi isn’t essential but it will help you to separate individual pieces effectively when frozen. After three hours, remove the tray and move the frozen gnocchi to freezer-safe bags.
Make sure these bags are clean and have no traces of moisture within them. Do not stack layers of gnocchi in a single bag. Instead, use separate bags and store gnocchi in perfect measurements of servings. Add labels to these bags and shift them back into the freezer.
How to Freeze Baked Gnocchi?
Well, if you wish to freeze gnocchi bake then first cook it as per your recipe. Allow it to cool at room temperature and wrap it in cling film after it cools completely. Shift this wrapped gnocchi ball into the freezer and freeze it for a month or two to the max. When you need to use this gnocchi dough, you can use it directly for cooking.
How can you Freeze Gnocchi that is freshly cooked?
Well, unfortunately, you can’t freeze freshly cooked gnocchi. However, if your recipe included gnocchi dipped in the sauce then you can freeze it for some time. To freeze gnocchi dipped in the sauce you will need a clean airtight container. Allow the gnocchi to cool down completely and transfer it to a freezer-safe container. Seal it tight and shift it to the freezer. You can use this frozen delicacy later on without defrosting it.
Things to Know When You Freeze Gnocchi
Since gnocchi is a delicate dish, there are high chances that you might end up destroying its texture if you freeze it for longer periods. Freezing gnocchi isn’t a huge deal but you must follow these three tips to get the best results!
1. Do not defrost gnocchi when you wish to use it for cooking. Most food items need a thawing session but that isn’t the case for gnocchi. If you thaw gnocchi, you will see that it loses its texture quickly and tastes bland.
2. If you are freezing roundels or different shapes of gnocchi then flash-freeze them first. It helps to prevent gnocchi balls from adhering to each other. Flash freezing helps to remove individual gnocchi balls from the bag without breaking others.
3. Gnocchi might suffer some loss of texture on freezing. Therefore, if your dish appears a bit bland then you can cook your gnocchi in the oven. Shift it to a pan and top it with some pasta sauce and cheese. Cook it in the oven and it will taste better than before.
Duration of Freezing for Gnocchi
First of all, you should avoid freezing gnocchi because there is a marked alteration in the texture of frozen gnocchi. But, if you are thinking of preparing and storing it in batches for your meals, then prepare small batches.
You can freeze gnocchi for a maximum time of two months. If you forget your gnocchi in the freezer for more than two months then it is nothing but a piece of trash. You must use gnocchi within a month if you can.
Thus, we advise you to prepare and store small batches of gnocchi which you can use over a month. If you open the seal of the gnocchi bag then use all the contents within 48 hours.
Should you defrost Gnocchi? Is it okay to refreeze Gnocchi?
No, you should not defrost gnocchi. Whether you freeze gnocchi dough or gnocchi balls, you should refrain from defrosting them at all costs. It is because defrosting gnocchi will hamper the original texture of it.
Instead, pop it directly into your recipe when you are cooking. Or, you can boil some water in a pan along with salt. Add frozen gnocchi to this boiling mix and cook it. Once, the gnocchi balls start to float on the water’s surface, turn off the flame. It marks the end of the cooking process.
Also, do not refreeze gnocchi after opening the seal of the bag. Gnocchi doesn’t freeze well and refreezing it is an absurd idea.
Recipes you can try to Freeze Gnocchi
If you are craving a change in your basic gnocchi recipes then we have some recommendations for you. Try one of these and freeze them for later use! Let us know which ones you loved the most in the comments section.
1. Potato Gnocchi: Gnocchi patate or potato gnocchi is the easiest and quickest recipe. Take good quality potatoes and wash them. Then start peeling your potatoes and cut them into large pieces. Drop them in a pan containing water and boil them till a fork or chopstick easily passes through them.
Then, remove the cooked potatoes and drop them in cold water so that they are back at room temperature. Then, remove these potatoes from the cold water and place them in a large tray. Start mashing these potatoes using a fork or spatula and spread them evenly. Add, some mixed herbs and drizzle egg yolks on it.
Now, keep adding flour till you can knead a tight dough. Now you can either wrap the dough in a cling film and freeze it or you can cut small pieces of the dough and freeze it accordingly.
2. Spinach Gnocchi: To prepare this recipe, beat two eggs in a bowl. To this add dried herbs, frozen and thawed spinach, cheese, and nutmeg powder. Whisk all the ingredients nicely. Start adding flour and kneading it till a soft dough is formed. Either freeze the dough at this stage or cut small roundels and freeze them.
3. Sauce-dipped Gnocchi: There isn’t a specific recipe for sauce-dipped gnocchi. You can prepare gnocchi of your choice and drizzle them with tomato sauce or other sauces of your choice. However, gnocchi prepared with a combination of vegetables and herbs mix tastes best with sauces.
Freezing gnocchi is a simple process but lasts for a very few days in the freezer. Thus, prepare small portions of it when freezing. Try these recipes to get unique flavors for gnocchi and impress your guests or kids right away.