I LOVE GNOCCHI

Straightforward, full-bodied, pleasant to the palate, gnocchi are an ancient and nutritious main course prepared in different ways depending on the area: different flours (wheat, corn or rice), vegetables, dry bread or semolina, with or without eggs.

Their "meeting" with potatoes takes place at the end of the eighteen century, when they are imported from the Americas. 
Since then, gnocchi have been prepared in Italy as follows: water, potatoes and flour, with some regional variations. 

They are good, especially homemade! The preparation is very simple, the essential ingredients are always available in almost all kitchens.

Gnocchi d'Italia

In Valle d' Aosta their name is not too attractive, yet they are very good!
They are named "Gnocchi alla bava" [which literally means “drooling”].
Their name comes from the consistency of the sauce: an enveloping cheese fondue rich in flavor. 

In Piedmont they are eaten with a Castelmagno fondue, a semi-hard herbal cheese of great flavor, which makes the gnocchi decidedly voluptuous.
The sauce is completed with butter, Parmesan cheese and a sprinkling of black pepper.

In Lombardy they are prepared deliciously!
"Gnocchi alla Lariana" - a typical dish of the Lake Como area - are made without potatoes and with the addition of nutmeg.
The sauce is prepared with garlic, shallot, butter, bacon, Alp Robiola cheese and tomato sauce.

In Veneto they are sweet and savory! 
According to the Vicenza recipe, the traditional gnocchi recipe is enriched with raisins, orange zest, eggs, sugar and cinnamon.
In Verona you can taste Gnocchi e Pastissada, a typical stew of horse meat.

In Friuli Venezia Giulia they are made of semolina!
"Gnocchetti de gries" can be eaten in broth or with melted butter. In Trieste and on the border areas with Austria, goulash or roast sauce are also offered.

In Emilia Romagna, they can be tasted with meat sauce or tomato sauce.
A more ancient rural recipe includes a corroborating mixture of onion cooked in lard, beans and tomato.

In Tuscany you will not find Gnocchi but Gnudi!
Typical of Maremma and Mugello, they are called Gnudi (Malfatti in Siena) because they are prepared with ricotta cheese and spinach, a traditional filling, without the external dough.

In Lazio they are baked in the oven! 
Roman-style gnocchi are prepared with semolina. Milk, butter, eggs, Parmesan cheese and Pecorino cheese.
This mixture is processed in fairly large round patties and baked in the oven. 

In Campania they summon images of wonderful landscapes!
The classic recipe of Gnocchi alla Sorrentina calls for a tasty tomato sauce, fiordilatte mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese and basil. The main course is cooked and served in the pignatiello, an earthenware pan particularly suitable for the oven. 

In Sardinia, semolina and water!
Malloreddus are small, round and porous. They call for tomato sauce, sausage and Sardinian pecorino cheese and a pinch of saffron.

At Pomì, gnocchi are prepared with diced tomatoes and lemon. 
A light, fresh and delicious dish.
Try the recipe!

Leftover gnocchi? No worries: they are very good the next day, too!
Place them in a baking pan, add some organic tomato sauce, a sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese and bake them in the oven!

There's more to gnocchi....
In this journey of flavors, we discovered numerous sub-regional variants. 
Tell us about yours!

We Love Gnocchi 

And You?