Although there are many opinions floating around about how to make the “perfect” potato gnocchi, there is no one right way to do it. For example, in some parts of northern Italy, egg is not used at all. In others, it is a key ingredient that adds additional flavor and helps bind the dough together. It really comes down to personal preference and skill level. Many gnocchi recipes call for boiling the potatoes before ricing them. This, however, increases the amount of flour needed to offset the added moisture – and too much flour can lead to dense, chewy dumplings. Roasting the potatoes on a bed of coarse salt in a hot oven helps alleviate this problem.