Gnocchi with cheese and pepper "Cacho e pepe"

Ingredients:

• 700 g of potatoes
• 1 teaspoon finely ground black pepper, plus 1.5 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
• A pinch of ground nutmeg
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 to 1 1/4 cups flour to knead the dough, plus a little extra to dust the dough and tools when forming the gnocchi
• 1 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese (about 60 g)
• 4 tbsp (60 g) butter
• 0.5 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (about 30 g)

Preparation:

1. Place the potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water by 2.5 cm. Cook over medium heat for 20-25 minutes. (Check for doneness with a knife; it should slide easily into the potato.)
   
   Drain and let cool slightly. Peel the potatoes and press them through a potato masher in a thin layer onto a clean surface (avoid creating a "hill" of mash). Let cool completely for at least 10 minutes.
2. In a small bowl, combine 1 teaspoon of salt, finely ground black pepper, and nutmeg; sprinkle the mixture over the mashed potatoes. Drizzle the potatoes with the beaten egg, then sprinkle with 1 cup of flour and 1/2 cup of pecorino.
   
   Knead the dough, dusting it lightly with flour (you can add up to 1/4 cup more if needed), until it becomes a homogeneous mass, almost smooth and slightly moist, but not too sticky. Form the dough into a ball.
3. Using a pastry bench scraper, cut the dough into 4 pieces; cover the dough with a kitchen towel when not in use.
   
   Take 1 piece of dough, cut it in half, dust with flour, and carefully roll each half into 1.5 cm thick sausages. Using a scraper or sharp knife, cut each sausage into 1.5 cm pieces and dust with flour. Repeat with the remaining dough.
4. Line two baking sheets with clean kitchen towels and dust them with flour. Lightly coat your hands with flour and roll each small piece of dough into a ball in your palms.
   
   Place the ball on the tines of a fork, close to the handle, and hold the dough in place with your thumb, dipped in flour. With one light flick of your finger, quickly press the dough down and roll it into a shell shape, moving your finger along the tines toward the edge. Repeat for all the balls.
   
   Transfer the resulting mixture to the prepared baking sheets. gnocchi(You can freeze them at this point if you like: let them set on the baking sheets first, then transfer them to a resealable plastic bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 weeks.)
5. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil and preheat the oven to 350°F. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
   
   Stir in coarsely ground black pepper and toast for about 30 seconds. Add 3/4 cup boiling water. Bring to a boil and cook until the liquid is reduced by half, 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.
6. For ease of handling, divide the gnocchi into several batches and do the following with each batch: place in a colander and shake off excess flour; then transfer to a pan of boiling water and cook until the gnocchi float to the surface, about 2 minutes; use a slotted spoon to remove the gnocchi and transfer to the pan.
   
   Once all the gnocchi are in the pan, stir them to coat them with the sauce and return the pan to medium heat. Bring the sauce to a simmer, adding up to 1/4 cup of the reserved cooking water if the gnocchi seem dry. Remove from heat and stir in 1/4 cup each of the pecorino and Parmesan cheese.
   
   Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup Pecorino and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese over the top. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the cheese is golden brown and the liquid is bubbling, 1 to 2 minutes.