Although considered a typical dish of regional cuisine of Lazio, the “gnocchi alaRomana” havean uncertain origin and a history that probably starts from afar.  According to some sources, the recipe originates in Piedmont, while others link the Romanity of the dish to a trivial transcription error. In fact, it is suspected that the “Roman gnocchi” were in principle the “Romanian gnocchi.”
Regardless of these theories, all the taverns in Rome have them on the blackboard. So, have no doubts: these Roman gnocchisarenow a 100% Roman tradition.
This is one of the few Lazio dishes that my Nordic maternal grandmother cooked when I was a child. I loved the crunchy crust they have!

Semolina gnocchi

  • Preparation time: 90 minutes
  • Ingredients for 4 servings
  • Difficulty: Easy recipe

  • Ingredients
  • 1 liter of milk
  • 250 grams of semolina
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 100 grams of grated parmesan cheese to taste
  • 30 grams of butter
  • Grated parmesan cheese to taste
  • Butter to taste
  • Salt to taste
  1. Instructions
  2. Boil the milk in a pan. Remove the pan from the heat. Add salt and then the semolina, the 30 grams of butter stirring quickly with a whisk. Return the pan to the heat and cook over low heat for about three to four minutes.
  3. Remove the mixture from the heat and let it cool for a few minutes.
  4. Add the 100 grams of grated parmesan cheese , around 8 tablespoons, and egg yolks to the semolina one at a time.
  5. Spread the semolina on a wet pan to a height of 2 cm and allow to cool. Put the pan well covered in the fridge for at least a couple of hours. Cut small circles with a cup.
  6. Place the slightly overlapping semolina discs in a well buttered pan; sprinkle with grated Parmesan and some butter flakes.
  7. Cook in a hot oven at 400° F for about twenty minutes or until they have made a crust.

Tips to ensure the success of the dish:

  • When pouring the semolina into the boiling milk, stir quickly with a whisk to prevent lumps from forming.
  • The semolina should be cooked over low heat to prevent the milk from evaporating before the end of cooking.
  • To create the gnocchi you can also make a log in a parchment paper of 5 cm of diameter. When the log is completely cool  you can slice the log into disc of 2 cm thickness.

 Grandma Irene with Grandpa Aldo