This week’s recipes from the L.A. Times Test Kitchen

My general rule of thumb when it comes to cooking is that the fewer ingredients a dish contains, the harder it is to do right. Bread is a classic example. It contains in its simplest form just flour, water, salt and yeast, but making a great loaf can take a person years to master. The tiniest variation in the temperature of the proofing environment, the hydration level of the dough or the intensity of your kneading can make or break the whole project. Gnocchi, a simple dumpling made from potatoes, flour and egg yolk, is no less of a challenge. We’ve probably all tasted examples of gnocchi done poorly. They’re dense, chewy and bland, little gummy potato pellets that taste of raw flour and, frankly, aren’t worth eating. Done right, though, gnocchi are pillowy and tender, and they practically melt in your mouth.