Gnocchi alla Romana

Name: Gnocchi alla Romana
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Laziale
Ingredients: 1000 ml Whole milk; 250 g semolino; 100 g Unsalted butter; 120 g parmigiano reggiano; 2 large Egg yolks; 5 g Fine sea salt; 1 pinch whole nutmeg; 30 g pecorino romano

Golden Roman discs of semolina porridge baked in a dish with melted butter and Parmigiano until crisp and bubbling at the edges.

🇮🇹Italy· Lazio

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 45 min
Total: 65 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 520 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 8 gathered

Servings

1000 ml Whole milk — fresh full-fat milk
250 g semolino — fine durum wheat semolina
100 g Unsalted butter — divided into 30g for porridge and 70g melted for topping
120 g parmigiano reggiano — finely grated
2 large Egg yolks — lightly beaten
5 g Fine sea salt — about 1 tsp
1 pinch whole nutmeg — freshly grated
30 g pecorino romano — finely grated, for a sharper crust

Equipment

•Heavy-bottomed saucepan
•Baking dish
•5cm round cutter or glass
•Baking paper
•Whisk

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 520 kcal
fat: 26 g
carbs: 54 g
fibre: 2 g
protein: 18 g
calories: 520 kcal

Instructions

1
Pour the milk into a saucepan with the salt, nutmeg, and 30g of butter.
2
Bring the milk gently to a simmer over medium heat.
3
Rain in the semolina in a steady stream, whisking vigorously to avoid any lumps.
4
Cook over low heat for 8 minutes, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon until thick and glossy.
5
Remove from the heat and beat in the egg yolks and half the Parmigiano Reggiano.
6
Spread the hot mixture onto damp baking paper to an even 1 cm thickness.
7
Smooth the surface with a wet palette knife and leave to cool completely for 20 minutes.
8
Cut into rounds using a 5 cm cutter dipped in cold water.
9
Arrange the discs overlapping slightly in a well-buttered baking dish.
10
Drizzle with the remaining melted butter and scatter over the remaining cheeses.
11
Bake at 200°C for 20 minutes until bubbling and golden with blistered edges.

Chef's tips

Dip the cutter in cold water between every cut to keep the edges neat and prevent sticking. Never discard the offcuts; gather them together and layer them under the neat top discs so nothing is wasted.

Ingredient substitutions

Pecorino Romano → extra Parmigiano Reggiano for a milder, classic profile
whole milk → semi-skimmed milk, though the finished texture will be slightly less rich

Storage

Store tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days before or after baking.

Reheating

Reheat in an oven preheated to 180°C for 15 minutes until piping hot and bubbling.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Pouring the semolina into the milk all at once, which creates stubborn floury lumps.
•Attempting to cut the discs before the semolina has cooled and set completely.

Serving suggestions

Serve bubbling hot directly from the baking dish at the centre of the table.Pair with a crisp bitter leaf salad dressed simply with red wine vinegar and olive oil.