Gnocchi alla Romana (Italian Semolina Gnocchi)

Ingredients

• 250 g semolina
• 1 L whole milk
• 100 g Parmigiano cheese, grated
• 2 egg yolks
• 50 g butter (For the semolina mixture; unsalted)
• salt (To taste; use a pinch in the milk)
• nutmeg (To taste; use a little in the milk)
• 50 g butter (For buttering the baking dish and sprinkling over the gnocchi; unsalted)
• 40 g Pecorino Romano cheese (Grated)

Steps

1. 1

   Put the milk in a saucepan over low heat. Add 50 g (about ½ stick) of butter, a pinch of salt, and a little nutmeg.

2. 2

   When the milk begins to boil, add the semolina while stirring vigorously with a whisk to prevent lumps from forming.

3. 3

   Cook the mixture over low heat for a few minutes, stirring, until it thickens and begins to pull away from the bottom of the pan.

4. 4

   Remove the pan from the heat. Add the two egg yolks and stir them in with a wooden spoon.

5. 5

   Add the grated Parmigiano a little at a time, stirring until fully incorporated.

6. 6

   Pour half of the hot mixture onto a sheet of baking paper. Using your hands, shape it into a cylinder; run your hands under cold water first if needed to keep them from becoming too hot.

7. 7

   Repeat the shaping process with the remaining half of the mixture, forming a second cylinder. Place both rolls in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, until firm.

8. 8

   Once chilled, cut the rolls with a knife into slices about 1 cm (⅓ inch) thick. Moisten the knife blade with water if needed to make cutting easier.

9. 9

   Arrange the semolina gnocchi in a buttered baking dish.

10. 10

    Sprinkle the gnocchi with small pieces of the remaining 50 g (about ½ stick) of butter and the grated Pecorino Romano.

11. 11

    Bake in a preheated static oven at 200°C (about 390°F) for 30 minutes. If using a fan oven, bake at 180°C (about 350°F) for 20 minutes.

12. 12

    Turn on the oven grill and brown the gnocchi for 5 minutes.

13. 13

    Serve the gnocchi alla Romana piping hot.

Notes

The structured recipe states a total time of 115 minutes, which includes the refrigeration period. For make-ahead preparation, arrange the discs in the baking dish with butter and Pecorino, cover, and refrigerate for up to 1 day before baking. The source also describes cooling cooked gnocchi to room temperature and separating layers with parchment paper or plastic wrap for storage or freezing; thawed gnocchi should be consumed promptly and not refrozen.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• vegetarian
• Italian
• Roman cuisine
• baked
• cheese-based
• make-ahead