In Argentina the 29th day of the month is the chosen day to eat gnocchi (Ñoqui in Spanish). The story of the tradition is pretty simple. The 29th of the month was just before payday — people got paid on the last day of the month — so by the end of the month, money was tight and all that was left in the larder was potatoes and flour. Gnocchi are the perfect solution as they are filling and not expensive. Eating gnocchi on the 29th is also considered to bring financial luck. To ensure a prosperous month ahead many Argentines will place money under the place mat whilst they eat. Like many traditions in Argentina this has come from Italian immigrants who came to work and live here in the 19th century.
Quantities for 6 people
5 big potatoes*
4 Egg
3 cups of flour
Wash potatoes and boil with skins on. Peel the potatoes and mash one at a time. Let the potatoes cool by pushing out onto a surface, the larger the surface area the quicker they will cool. Once you have the potatoes cooled and flat on the counter crack one egg into the middle and mix well. Mix in flour, folding and pressing the mixture out to ensure the flour and potatoes are combined. Always add more flour until they become firm but still malleable. Cut the mixture into equal parts and roll into a sausage and cut into small pieces about 2cm x 1cm. Prepare the sauce. Cook the gnocchi in hot water, when they rise to the surface they are cooked. Have a dish ready to put in the oven to keep the gnocchi warm whilst you cook the rest. Layer the sauce first in the pan followed by the cooked gnocchi. Place it in the oven and once you have the next batch ready place more sauce over the first batch and then add the next round of gnocchi.
* The fresher the potatoes are the better the gnocchi - use one potato per person and then three more.
