Gnocchi alla Bava
Soft potato gnocchi baked with rich mountain Toma cheese and butter until molten and stringy. A classic Alpine Piedmontese comfort dish.
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 65 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 560 kcal
Equipment
- •Large saucepan
- •Potato ricer
- •Baking dish
- •Slotted spoon
- •Wooden work surface
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 560 kcal
- fat
- 24 g
- carbs
- 64 g
- fibre
- 4 g
- protein
- 21 g
- calories
- 560 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Boil the unpeeled potatoes in salted water for 25 to 30 minutes until tender throughout.
- 2
Peel the potatoes whilst hot and press them through a ricer onto a clean surface.
- 3
Spread the potato mash lightly to allow steam to escape for 5 minutes.
- 4
Scatter over the flour, salt, and nutmeg, then pour over the beaten egg.
- 5
Gently work the mixture into a soft, smooth dough without over-kneading.
- 6
Roll portions of dough into long finger-thick ropes and slice into 2 cm pieces.
- 7
Cook gnocchi in boiling salted water and lift out with a slotted spoon as they float.
- 8
Layer the hot gnocchi into a buttered baking dish with the cubed Toma cheese.
- 9
Pour over the melted butter and cream, then scatter with grated Parmigiano Reggiano.
- 10
Bake at 200°C for 10 minutes until the cheese is completely melted and bubbling.
- 11
Season with a twist of black pepper and serve immediately while the cheese stretches.
Chef's tips
Use dry, floury potatoes and mash them hot to keep the dough light. Avoid overworking the dough, which releases starch and makes the dumplings rubbery. Serve immediately so the cheese stays glossy and stretchy.
Ingredient substitutions
- Toma Piemontese (mountain cow's milk cheese) → Fontina PDO or mature Taleggio
- double cream → whole milk
Storage
Store leftovers tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Reheating
Reheat in an oven at 170°C with a spoonful of milk until the cheese melts again.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Letting potatoes absorb water by boiling them peeled, requiring excess flour.
- •Over-kneading the dough, resulting in dense and tough gnocchi.
- •Baking for too long, which causes the melted cheese fats to separate.
Serving suggestions
Cooked Gnocchi alla Bava?
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