Gnocchi

Directions

1. 1
   Put milk, butter and salt into large, deep saucepan and bring to boil.
2. 2
   Remove from heat, add flour all at once and beat vigorously with wooden spoon.
3. 3
   Return to low heat and continue beating for about 1 minute, or until mixture is smooth and comes away from sides of pan.
4. 4
   Remove from heat and beat in eggs one at a time.
5. 5
   (This is tricky, since at each addition, the egg seems intent on refusing to be incorporated.
6. 6
   Be persistent, though: after it has caused bits of dough to leap out of the pot like live fish, the egg will give up and blend in.)
7. 7
   When all eggs have been incorporated, beat in cheese.
8. 8
   Take cooking-spoon-size amount of the dough, drop it on floured board, sprinkle with flour and roll out with hands into long snake about 3/8 of inch in diameter.
9. 9
   Continue making snakes until dough is used up.
10. 10
    Using pastry scraper, Chinese cleaver or large knife, cut snakes crosswise into 3/8-inch pieces.
11. 11
    Bring 6 quarts of salted water to boil.
12. 12
    Add gnocchi in 3 or 4 batches, letting water return to boil after each batch.
13. 13
    Cook 5 to 10 minutes, or until gnocchi have about doubled in size.
14. 14
    Drain, butter and serve.