Roman Gnocchi Recipes

ROMAN-STYLE GNOCCHI

Steps:

• Line a rimmed sheet pan with plastic wrap.
• Place milk and salt in a saucepan. Bring almost to a simmer over medium-high heat. As soon as bubbles start to break the surface of the milk, gradually whisk in the semolina. Whisk until semolina becomes thick, about 20 seconds. Reduce heat to medium-low; continue stirring with a wooden spoon until very thick, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Add butter, grated cheese, and egg yolks. Stir quickly to prevent the yolks from cooking.
• Transfer mixture to prepared pan and spread out evenly. Cover with another piece of plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm enough to cut, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Brush a round, shallow baking dish with butter.
• Using a round 2 3/4-inch cookie cutter, cut out circles of the semolina dough. Arrange in a circular overlapping pattern in the prepared baking dish.
• With your damp hands, form the scraps of dough into a small ball. Flatten and place between 2 pieces of plastic wrap to flatten to the same thickness of the other dough. Cut out a few more rounds and arrange in center of circle.
• Drizzle melted butter over gnocchi and brush it over them evenly. Sprinkle with a pinch of cayenne pepper and a generous dusting of grated cheese.
• Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, about 25 minutes.

GNOCCHI ALLA ROMANA

Steps:

• Lightly oil a small baking sheet. Whisk the stock, semolina flour, and salt in a heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat until the mixture bubbles and is very thick, about 10 minutes. Beat the egg in a large bowl. Gradually beat the semolina mixture into the egg.
• Transfer the gnocchi mixture to the prepared baking sheet, spreading it to form a 1/2-inch-thick layer. Cover and refrigerate until the gnocchi mixture is cold and firm, at least 1 hour.
• Preheat the broiler. Generously butter a 10-inch-diameter gratin dish. Using a 2-inch-diameter cookie cutter, cut out rounds from the gnocchi mixture. Arrange the gnocchi in the prepared baking/gratin dish, overlapping slightly. Brush the remaining butter over the gnocchi. Sprinkle with the cheese, and pepper, if desired. Broil until the gnocchi are heated through and beginning to brown, about 6 minutes.

ROMAN-STYLE GNOCCHI

Steps:

• Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and set aside.
• Heat the olive oil in a deep saucepan over medium heat. Once the oil is warm (not hot), add the garlic.
• When the garlic begins to get golden around the edges, about 2 minutes, stir in all of the milk and the salt.
• Bring the milk to a gentle simmer, stirring often to avoid a skin forming on the surface of the milk and to avoid scorching on the bottom.
• When the milk begins to lightly simmer, gradually stir in the semolina flour. Keep stirring and folding the mixture for about 3 minutes, until it begins to pull away from the sides of the saucepan.
• Add the melted butter and keep folding until all of the butter is incorporated into the semolina.
• When all of the butter has been absorbed, turn off the heat.
• Even out the surface of the semolina mixture with a flat, spatula and immediately add the egg yolk and the cheese, working quickly to spread the yolk over the entire surface of the semolina and then folding the yolk into the semolina. This must be done very quickly as you want to fold the mixture in on itself before the yolk has a chance to begin cooking.
• Once the yolk has been incorporated, add the Parmesan and continue alternating between stirring and folding the mixture until everything is blended together in a nice, dough-like mass.
• Turn mixture out onto the prepared cookie sheet and flatten the "dough" with the same spatula you used before, until it's about 3/8-inch thick (you can go to a 1/2-inch if you want a heartier gnocchi, it will just take a bit longer to cook).
• Set the cookie sheet aside and allow the gnocchi 'dough' to cool at room temperature until firm enough to handle, approximately 45 minutes.
• Cut the gnocchi into whatever shape or size you would like (at the restaurant we cut the gnocchi into rectangular 'fingers', but you can be creative and use a biscuit cutter or juice glass to make round gnocchi).
• Traditionally, Roman gnocchi are layered in a buttered dish and baked in the oven for 17 to 18 minutes at 425 degrees F. At 13 Gypsies we sear the gnocchi in a hot pan to form a crust of 'grilled' cheese while keeping the center moist and tender. Top with your favorite sauce and enjoy!

ROMAN GNOCCHI

Steps:

• Line a deep corning ware dish (12x8 inch) with parchment paper.
• In a sauce pan place milk, half the nutmeg and some salt and pepper (to desired taste) and bring to a boil stirring occasionaly.
• Cook for 5-10 minutes or until the semolina is very stiff.
• Remove the pan from the heat source.
• Add the beaten egg and 1 cup of Parmesan cheese and stir the mixture well.
• With a spatula spread the mixture in the corning ware pan and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour or until firm.
• Preheat the oven to 350F.
• Using a biscuit cutter, flour it and cut the semolina into rounds.
• Place then evenly in a greased shallow casserole dish.
• Place the butter over the top and then the cream.
• Combine the remaining parmesan and mozzarella cheese and sprinkle over top.
• Finally sprinkle the remaining nutmeg.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden.

ROMAN STYLE BAKED SEMOLINA GNOCCHI

Steps:

• In a 3- to 4-quart saucepan, combine milk, nutmeg, salt and 4 tablespoons butter. Bring just to a boil, lower heat to medium and immediately start adding semolina in a thin stream, whisking constantly. Keep whisking to make a smooth mixture. Reduce heat to very low and cook, stirring, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in half the cheese and the egg yolks.
• Use some of the oil to grease a baking sheet. Spread hot dough on baking sheet to a thickness of 1/2 inch. Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until very cold, 4 hours or overnight.
• Heat remaining oil in a saucepan, add garlic and onion, cook until soft and add tomatoes. Simmer gently about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Use a little remaining butter to grease a shallow baking dish about 9 by 13 inches. Use a 2- to 3-inch round cookie cutter or a glass to cut disks of chilled dough. Keep dipping cutter in cold water to prevent sticking. Lift disks off baking sheet and arrange, slightly overlapping, in baking dish. Scraps can be kneaded briefly and smoothed out to allow for a few additional disks. Sprinkle disks in dish with remaining cheese and dot with remaining butter. Bake about 15 minutes, until lightly browned.
• Gently reheat sauce. Serve gnocchi with some sauce alongside each portion.

GNOCCHI ALLA ROMANA

Steps:

• Whisk together milk, semolina, and 1 teaspoon salt in a 2-quart heavy saucepan and bring to a boil over moderate heat, whisking. Simmer, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until very stiff, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 2 tablespoons butter and 3/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano. Beat in egg.
• Spread gnocchi mixture 1/2 inch thick on an oiled baking sheet and chill, uncovered, until very firm, about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• Cut out rounds from gnocchi mixture with a 2-inch round cookie cutter (push scraps into remaining mixture as you go) and arrange, slightly overlapping, in a well-buttered 13- by 9-inch baking dish. Make a small second layer in center of dish with any remaining rounds. Brush gnocchi with remaining 1/4 cup melted butter and sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano.
• Bake in middle of oven until gnocchi are beginning to brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

GNOCCHI ALLA ROMANA (BAKED SEMOLINA GNOCCHI)

Steps:

• Combine milk, 1/4 cup butter, and a pinch of salt in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Whisk semolina into boiling milk, mixing well to prevent lumps. Reduce heat and cook, stirring often, until thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat. Add egg yolks, 1 cup Grana Padano, and Gruyere cheese; stir well.
• Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat; cook and stir pancetta until crisp, 7 to 10 minutes. Stir pancetta into semolina mixture.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease 2 baking sheets with 1 1/2 teaspoon butter.
• Spread semolina mixture onto 1 of the prepared baking sheets, about 1/2-inch thick. Allow to cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes.
• Cut small disks out of cooled semolina using a juice glass or cookie cutter. Place the disks onto the other prepared baking sheet, slightly overlapping the disks. Sprinkle the remaining Grana Padano cheese over disks and dot with remaining 1 1/2 teaspoon butter.
• Bake in the preheated oven until gnocchi are nicely crisp and golden, about 20 minutes.