Potato gnocchi

Step 1: Heat the oven to 400°F (350°F fan). Prick 2 ¼ lb floury potatoes (Maris Piper, King Edward or russet) and bake directly on the shelf for 50–60 minutes, until completely soft when squeezed.

Step 2: While still hot, halve them and scoop out the flesh. Pass through a potato ricer or sieve onto a floured board and spread out to let the steam escape for 5 minutes.

Step 3: Sprinkle over 1 tsp salt, three-quarters of 5 ½ oz Italian 00 flour or plain flour and 1 egg yolk if using. Bring together lightly with your hands and a scraper into a soft dough, adding more flour only until it stops sticking. Common mistake: kneading like bread; overworked dough makes heavy, gluey gnocchi.

Step 4: Cut the dough into 6 pieces. Roll each into a rope 2 cm thick and cut into 2 cm pieces. Roll them over the back of a fork or a gnocchi board for ridges if you like, and lay on a floured tray.

Step 5: Bring a large pan of water to the boil with 1 tbsp salt. Melt 2 ½ oz butter in a wide frying pan over a medium heat with 12 leaves fresh sage and cook until the butter foams, turns hazelnut brown and smells nutty, about 3 minutes. Take off the heat.

Step 6: Drop the gnocchi into the water in two batches. When they float to the top (about 2 minutes), wait 20 seconds more and lift them out with a slotted spoon straight into the butter.

Step 7: Toss gently over a low heat with a spoon of cooking water and serve with 1 ⅜ oz Parmigiano Reggiano.