I love making gnocchi…especially on a cloudy Sunday afternoon with a glass of wine in hand, fun and relaxing. The one trick is that you really do need a potato ricer to get the gnocchi to be the right consistency. I’ve tried other methods and shortcuts before, but finally had to give in and get a potato ricer and it’s worth it (great for uber-creamy mashed potatoes as well!). This flavors in this recipe from the December 2010 Bon Appéitt are divine…but I don’t know how you go wrong with pancetta and rosemary.
The only issue I had is that for my gnocchi, the directions for how to cook the gnocchi were a bit off and so I actually overcooked my gnocchi (or they were a bit too wet to start with) and my consistency turned into more of a chunky mashed potato than distinct and separate gnocchi…still delish, but not very pretty! So I would suggest taking your gnocchi out as soon as they start floating rather than waiting an extra 3 minutes, but experiment yourself with one or two at a time if you want to be sure since your experience may differ from mine.
UPDATE: Check out this post for how to make the perfect Gnocchi, every time!