How to prepare the real Italian recipe of Semolina Gnocchi or “Gnocchi alla Romana”
Gnocchi of Semolina or “Gnocchi alla Romana” is one of those recipes handed down from generation to generation. Aside from being flat-out delicious, one of the best things about “Gnocchi alla Romana” is how easy they are to make. One of those classic Roman dishes that you eat in Rome on a Thursday, just because Thursdays is “Gnocchi” day, or as we say in Rome: Thursday, Mom made dumplings!
Ingredients for 4 people
- 1 lt of Milk
- 250 grams of Semolina
- 100 grams of Butter
- 100 grams of Parmesan Cheese
- Salt and Pepper as you prefer
Preparation
1. Verse the milk in a saucepan, add 20 g. of butter and a pinch of salt, cook until boiling, then pour in the semolina, adding it little by little in limited amount and slowly, mix vigorously with a wooden spoon, be careful, so that it does not aggregate in balls. This operation is very important because if the compound is not smooth and homogeneous, it compromises the success of the dish.
2. Cook the semolina for about 20 minutes while maintaining a low heat and stirring constantly. Remove the pan from the heat and incorporate into the mixture 2 tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese, stirring vigorously. Pour then the mixture on on a very large tray (or on a clean table) slightly moistened with a wet spatula, spread it in an even layer of half a centimeter thick. Now let it cool. With a glass or a proper “gnocchi shaper”, cut the cold semolina layer in many disks of 4 cm. Cutting out the disks, they will form the “leftovers” of pasta very irregular: mix them up again and cut with the glass or “gnocchi shaper” them again to get other dumplings, do it again, until semolina is finished.
3. Then begins adding a layer of semolina discs completely covering the bottom of a buttered baking dish thoroughly, with a little of melted butter added here and there on top together with a handful of grated parmesan cheese; make a second layer of dumplings, sprinkle with more melted butter and sprinkle with cheese. Finish the layers with plenty of cheese. Put the baking dish in the oven at 200 degrees and cook the gnocchi until their surface will have formed a nice golden crust, it will take about 20 minutes. Enjoy.
Posted by Nicoletta and Tiziana
The Real Italian Food. Buon Appettito!
