Baked Gnocchi with Fontina and Ham

1. Wash the potatoes and cook them in their skins until cooked. Strain and let cool. Peel while still warm and press through a potato press. It is best to knead by hand with the remaining ingredients for the dough to form a smooth dough. Don’t knead too much! Cover and let ripen for 30 minutes. Depending on the swellability of the flour, a little more flour or the egg yolk can be added (see note).
2. Divide the dough into 2 portions and roll out each portion on a floured work surface into a finger-thick roll. Cut the rolls into pieces approx. 2 cm long. Place each piece in a fork and press lightly so that the typical gnocchi shape with its notches is created.
3. Grease an ovenproof serving dish with half of the butter. Melt the remaining butter in a small saucepan. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.
4. Add the gnocchi in portions to plenty of simmering salted water. Stir gently after 3 minutes. Wait until the finished gnocchi float on top. Lift out in portions with a slotted spoon, drain well and place in the serving bowl. Drizzle with some of the melted butter and top with cheese slices. Fill the mold in layers until all the gnocchi are used up. Finish with a layer of cheese and sprinkle the ham pieces over it.
5. Bake in the oven for 6 – 8 minutes. Garnish the finished gnocchi and serve warm as a side dish.

Annotation:

1. To get the gnocchi as tender as possible, you should avoid using more than 25% flour based on the weight of the potatoes (pressed through). If the dough is too runny to roll, put it in a piping bag (triangular) with a suitable nozzle and squirt directly into the simmering water. Cut the gnocchi with scissors directly at the spout.
2. A tall pot is better for this because it prevents the gnocchi from sticking to the bottom. The salt water should simmer. Only press enough dough into the water that this is guaranteed. So don’t make the portions too big.
3. Kneading the dough releases a glue (gluten) in the potatoes, which makes the dough sticky and liquid. So work here gently and briefly. Only use the egg yolk if the dough is crumbly and dry.