Should I boil gnocchi if I am going to bake them in a sauce later?

They are pre-packaged gnocchi that only take about 3 minutes to cook anyways, so I was thinking that as long as there is enough liquid in the sauce I bake them in (for about 30 minutes at 375) that I should be alright. Any thoughts?

chez_mere
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7 Comments

chez_mere
chez_mere December 31, 2015
Fran, I did not pre cook them but just added them to the thick sauce and baked them from there. Probably for about 20 minutes... I'd go by looks (as in, is the top brown and bubbly), and maybe poke them with a pairing knife to check for tenderness if you're unsure. Good luck!
 
Fran
Fran January 1, 2016
That's great, thank you for be advice. I'm going to try this tonight! Happy new year :-)
 
chez_mere
chez_mere May 24, 2013
Thanks for the input. I ended up using about 2.5 cups of a thick spinach "gravy" for around 2 c. of uncooked gnocchi. They baked up really well, tender but not soggy. And it was great comfort food for an otherwise cold and rainy day.
 
Fran
Fran December 31, 2015
I know this was ages ago but I just stumbled across it & wondered..Did you pre-cook in the end? Do you know how long you baked for? Thanks!
 
PazzoNico
PazzoNico May 24, 2013
Just a side note here; gnocchi don't absorb as much liquid as pasta since they're are made mostly of potatoes (the flour is just a binder here). So I wouldn't add *too* much liquid, otherwise the gnocchi will overcook and become soggy or fall apart.
 
darksideofthespoon
darksideofthespoon May 23, 2013
Personally, I would par boil them, toss in oil, and then bake them/refrigerate for whenever you bake them.
 

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pierino
pierino May 23, 2013
Yes, they will need a quick cooking just before you sauce them. If you cook them too far ahead they will turn to glue. But just saucing and baking won't cook them properly.
 
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