Gnocchi di Susine

Name: Gnocchi di Susine
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Friulana
Ingredients: 800 g floury potatoes; 200 g Plain flour; 1 medium Egg; 1 pinch Fine sea salt; 8 small damson plums; 50 g caster sugar; 1 tsp Ground cinnamon; 80 g Unsalted butter; 100 g dry fine breadcrumbs

Tender potato dumplings wrapped around whole sweet plums, rolled in toasted cinnamon crumbs. Known in Trieste as gnocchi di susine and in Slovene as slivovi cmoki.

🇮🇹Italy· Friuli Venezia Giulia

Prep: 40 min
Cook: 30 min
Total: 70 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Medium
Calories: 485 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 9 gathered

Servings

800 g floury potatoes — unpeeled, such as Maris Piper or Russet
200 g Plain flour — plus extra for dusting
1 medium Egg — lightly beaten
1 pinch Fine sea salt — for dough and boiling water
8 small damson plums — or Italian prune plums, stoned but kept whole
50 g caster sugar — divided into stuffing and topping
1 tsp Ground cinnamon — for spiced crumb
80 g Unsalted butter — for toasting crumbs
100 g dry fine breadcrumbs — plain unseasoned

Equipment

•Large saucepan
•Potato ricer
•Frying pan
•Slotted spoon
•Mixing bowl

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 485 kcal
fat: 15 g
carbs: 82 g
fibre: 5 g
protein: 9 g
calories: 485 kcal

Instructions

1
Boil whole unpeeled potatoes in salted water for 25 minutes until tender when pierced.
2
Drain, peel while hot, and pass through a potato ricer onto a clean surface.
3
Cool slightly, then mix in the egg, salt, and flour to form a soft dough.
4
Wash and dry the plums, slit one side, remove the stone, and tuck half a teaspoon of sugar inside each.
5
Divide the dough into 8 pieces and flatten each into a round disc on a floured palm.
6
Place a stuffed plum in the centre and wrap the dough tightly around it, pinching seams firmly.
7
Melt butter in a frying pan, add breadcrumbs, and toast over medium heat until golden and fragrant.
8
Stir the remaining sugar and cinnamon into the toasted breadcrumbs, then remove from heat.
9
Lower dumplings into gently simmering water and cook for 6 minutes after they float to the surface.
10
Lift dumplings out with a slotted spoon, roll thoroughly in warm spiced breadcrumbs, and serve immediately.

Chef's tips

Use dry, floury potatoes and mash them while hot to keep the dough light. Avoid overworking the dough with excess flour, which makes the dumplings heavy. Ensure the plum seams are completely sealed so steam softens the fruit without boiling water seeping inside.

Ingredient substitutions

damson plums → Italian prune plums or small ripe apricots, which are traditional across the Austrian border
unsalted butter → clarified butter or a plant-based baking block for a dairy-free crumb

Storage

Store leftover cooked dumplings in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Reheating

Warm gently in a covered frying pan with a small knob of melted butter over low heat until heated through.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Using waxy potatoes, which creates a sticky dough that demands too much flour
•Rolling the dough too thin, which causes it to split open during boiling
•Boiling the water vigorously rather than a gentle simmer, which breaks delicate potato dough

Serving suggestions

Serve warm as a traditional Triestine first course before a meat mainDust with extra cinnamon sugar and a spoonful of foaming browned butter as a dessertPair with a glass of local sweet Terrano liqueur or strong black coffee