1.  Clean and peel the potatoes; cut them into 2 inch chunks. Place the pieces into a large pot and fill with water. Add a pinch of salt and heat over high heat until the water is boiling. Boil the potatoes until they are fork tender but not falling apart in the pan.

2.  When the potatoes are finished cooking, strain them well to remove as much water as possible. Then pass the strained potatoes through a potato ricer or a food mill into a mixing bowl or on to your preferred kneading surface.

3.  In the mixing bowl or on your kneading surface, make a well in the center of the potatoes. Sprinkle all of the flour and a pinch of salt, on top of and into the well of the potatoes. Crack the egg into the center of the well.

 

 

 

4.  Using your fingers, mix the ingredients thoroughly until a shaggy ball of dough begins to form. Begin to knead the dough and continue kneading until the dough is uniform, soft and smooth. Do not over knead. The dough should not be tough or hard.

5.  Cover the dough with a layer of plastic wrap, place it in the refrigerator and let it rest while you prepare the water and the sauce.

6.  Fill a large pot with fresh water and a generous pinch of salt to boil the gnocchi. Cover the pot and heat on high until the water comes to a rolling boil.

7.  In a large skillet, prepare the sauce by adding the olive oil, garlic and onion. Heat the skillet over medium heat until the garlic and onions begin to sizzle in the oil.

8.  Add the white wine to the skillet and simmer for 2 - 3 minutes.

9.  Add the ground beef and nutmeg to the skillet, and as the meat begins to cook, break it up into small pieces using a fork. Sauté the mix until the meat begins to brown.

10.  Add the tomato sauce or tomato puree to the skillet. Fill the now empty tomato can halfway with water and add the water to the skillet. Bring the sauce to a simmer, cover and cook for 12 - 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

11.  After 12 - 15 minutes, check the sauce and taste. Add salt as needed. Uncover the pan, raise the heat to medium-high and simmer the sauce another 10 minutes until it reduces to your preferred density.

12.  When the sauce is ready, cover the skillet and turn off the heat. The water for the gnocchi should be boiling.

13.  Remove the dough for the gnocchi from the refrigerator and place it on your work surface. Dust it with a little bit of flour so it won't stick.

14.  Using a knife, cut 1/4 of the dough and roll it out with your hands into a long rope, about 1/4 inch in diameter. Take your knife and cut the rope into small pieces about 1/4 to 1/2 inch wide; then pass the cut gnocchi through a little bit of flour and place them on a plate to be cooked. If you have time, you can roll each little piece of pasta down the back side of a fork to create grooves in the pasta to hold the sauce better.

15.  Repeat step 14 until you have used all of the dough.

16.  Take the plate of gnocchi to the pot of boiling water. In batches, drop a generous amount of gnocchi into the water. As soon as the pasta floats to the top, it has finished cooking. Remove the pasta as soon as possible with a small strainer or a slotted spoon, drain them well and place the gnocchi in the meat sauce. If the sauce has cooled, return the skillet to the stove and heat over low heat. Continue this process until all of the gnocchi have been cooked, strained well and added to the sauce.

17.  Carefully toss the gnocchi thoroughly in the meat sauce being careful not to break the pasta. Remove the skillet from the heat, plate the gnocchi and sauce, sprinkle a generous amount of Parmigiano over the top of the pasta and serve.