Here is a perfect main course for Sunday lunch. These two-colored semolina gnocchi not only taste delicious but also look great, thanks to the checkerboard pattern created in the baking dish. They are quite simple to make and have the advantage of being prepared in advance and just need to be baked shortly before serving. This is great when you need to handle multiple courses. But there is nothing to stop you from preparing them during the week for a regular family lunch. They are sure to impress.

Other recipes with semolina you might be interested in:

Difficulty: Easy
Cost: Economical
Rest time: 20 Minutes
Preparation time: 30 Minutes
Portions: 4 people
Cooking methods: Stove, Oven
Cuisine: Italian
Seasonality: All seasons

Ingredients for Two-Colored Semolina Gnocchi

4 1/4 cups milk
7 oz semolina
3 1/2 oz spinach (weighed cleaned)
2 egg yolks
3 1/2 oz Grana Padano cheese (or Parmesan)
1 1/2 tbsp butter
nutmeg
extra virgin olive oil
salt
1 oz Grana Padano cheese (or Parmesan)
1/3 oz walnut kernels
butter (+ for the baking dish)

Tools

1 Small Pan small
1 Saucepan
1 Wooden Spoon
1 Mezzaluna
1 Baking Dish
1 Cookie Cutter square 2.5 inches

Preparation of Two-Colored Semolina Gnocchi

Wash the spinach, squeeze them well, then sauté them over high heat in a small pan with a drizzle of oil, stirring continuously until they have wilted (it will only take a couple of minutes). Season with a pinch of salt and set aside.
Once cooled, chop them finely: I used a mezzaluna.
Pour the milk into a saucepan, add 1 1/2 tbsp of butter, a generous pinch of salt, an abundant grating of nutmeg, transfer to the heat, and bring to a boil.
As soon as it starts to boil, begin to sprinkle in the semolina while continuously stirring with a wooden spoon to prevent lumps.
Cook the mixture over low heat for about ten minutes or until the semolina has thickened.
At this point, remove the saucepan from the heat, add the two egg yolks, the grated cheese, and thoroughly mix all the ingredients with the wooden spoon.
Pour half of the mixture on a wet marble surface (or on a cutting board) and form a rectangle about 1/2 inch high by flattening it with a spatula. Let it cool.
Add the chopped spinach to the remaining mixture and mix them perfectly.
Pour this second mixture onto the marble surface, form a rectangle the same size as the previous one, and let it cool. The dimensions of my rectangles are approximately 24 x 18 cm.
After the cooling time (it will take about 15/20 minutes), cut the two rectangles with a square cookie cutter 2.5 inches on the side. If you don’t have one and want to purchase it, you can find it online by clicking HERE.
Butter a baking dish and arrange the semolina squares, alternating colors as shown in the photo to create a sort of checkerboard pattern.
Sprinkle the entire surface with the grated cheese, distribute dollops of butter here and there, and finish with the walnut kernels previously chopped with a knife.
Bake the two-colored semolina gnocchi in a preheated static oven at 392°F for about twenty minutes plus a few minutes in grill mode until golden. I kept them in the oven for 15 minutes plus the grill, but my children pointed out that they would have preferred them more crispy. For me, they were perfect as is. So adjust according to your personal taste.
Take the two-colored semolina gnocchi out of the oven and serve them immediately, piping hot, directly from the baking dish. Enjoy! Paola.

You will certainly have some scraps left over. Of course, do not throw them away. I gathered them in a small baking dish and cooked them exactly like those in the main dish.
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