Combine the water, butter and salt in a medium saucepan, and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
Reduce the heat to medium and add the flour. Stir rapidly with a wooden spoon until the dough pulls away from the sides of the pan and there is no dough sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Continue to cook and stir for about 5 minutes, until the steam rises from the dough and you smell the cooked flour. Do not let the dough brown.
Transfer the dough to a mixing bowl and let cool for 5 minutes.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating in each egg until it is completely incorporated before adding the next one.
Spoon the dough into a large pastry bag fitted with a 5∕8-inch plain tip and let it rest for 30 minutes at room temperature. If you are not using a pastry bag, let the dough rest in the mixing bowl.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a simmer.
To pipe the gnocchi into the water, rest the tip of the bag over the edge of the pot so that you can squeeze the bag with one hand. Use your other hand to cut off 1-inch lengths of dough with a small knife, allowing the gnocchi to drop into the pot. Cut about 24 per batch.
Keep the water hot, but do not bring it to a boil. Once the gnocchi float to the top, cook for another 3 minutes or until the dumplings are cooked through. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a baking sheet to dry slightly before saucing.
Repeat with remaining dough.
To sauce the gnocchi, heat the dumplings in a nonstick skillet. Add about œ cup of pesto (Click <a href=”http://www.saucemagazine.com/recipe/397
“>here to find the recipe.) and stir gently. Keep adding pesto until the gnocchi is sauced to your liking. Serve immediately.
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
4 large eggs
This article appears in Dec 1-31, 2009.