In most food cultures, dumplings are pure comfort food. Gnocchi are diminutive Italian dumplings—even if you have never had them before, with one bite, you’ll recognize them as being homey and comforting, just like mom used to make (if mom was Italian). There are many different varieties of gnocchi; this recipe is for classic potato gnocchi, the type that is most widely known in this country. Even with the aid of a microwave, the potatoes take some time to cook, but once they’re ready, the dough comes together easily. Forming the gnocchi is the most time consuming part of the recipe. The finer points in this recipe are the difference between great gnocchi and so-so gnocchi. Make sure to use high-starch potatoes, rice them or run them through a food mill, and use a light hand when kneading the dough. You’ll be rewarded with pillowy, light, and satisfying gnocchi. In this recipe, we’re saucing the gnocchi with a classic Gorgonzola cream sauce, but you can use 2-3 cups of our Quick Tomato Sauce or Bolognese Sauce, or ¾ cup Classic Basil Pesto. You may want to thin out these sauces, especially the pesto, with some of the gnocchi cooking water.