Here is the ready recipe for durum wheat semolina gnocchi, a basic preparation that I had mentioned when I updated the recipe for cheese au gratin gnocchi. And it adds to the other gnocchi present in the collection of basic recipes.

I am trying all the versions, really countless, that can be made of gnocchi. In recent years I have become passionate about the versions without potatoes, much faster to prepare, and so far they have always turned out perfectly.

As you well know if you’ve been following me for a while, the blog already features another version of these semolina gnocchi (the green version, with spinach), but the proportion between water and semolina in this version without spinach is obviously not the same, and therefore the separate recipe has its reason for being. But above all, I seized the opportunity to make these gnocchi in the ‘grated’ version, something I had wanted to do for a long time.

By grating them on the back of a grater, you get gnocchi decorated with raised dots, very nice to see, which always make me smile because they remind me of the first time I saw them when I was a child. My mom didn’t usually make them that way, so I remember very well the feeling of surprise I had when I saw these strange gnocchi on the plate! 😃 Of course, as always, mom made potato gnocchi, back then that’s the only way gnocchi were made around here, but it’s a decoration that can be done with any type of gnocchi, as long as they are firm enough to be handled and rolled on the grater. I mean… just to be clear: they shouldn’t be soft gnocchi otherwise they’ll get squashed, no need to beat around the bush to explain it. 🤪 And, for truth’s sake, these semolina gnocchi turned out just on the edge, if you look closely you can see it in the photos (later at the end of the recipe I’ll explain a detail better).

Well, I’m ready to write the recipe, are you ready? 🙂

Difficulty: Easy
Cost: Very cheap
Preparation time: 30 Minutes
Portions: 4
Cooking methods: Boiling
Cuisine: Italian
Seasonality: All seasons

Ingredients

4 cups durum wheat semolina
2.2 cups water

Tools

Pot
Spoon
Board
Knife
Grater

Steps

Bring water to a boil in a high-sided pot.
When the water boils, lower the heat to a minimum and pour in the semolina, all at once, not gradually.
Stir with a spoon (preferably a long-handled one), briefly as a coarse mass soon forms.
Immediately transfer the mixture to the work surface, or wooden board, and knead it immediately by hand, taking care not to burn yourself.
The mixture is a bit sticky so it’s best to flour the work surface and hands multiple times.
When the dough is well mixed, you can proceed with shaping the logs, always flouring the work surface.
Cut the logs into pieces.
Pass each gnocco on the back of the grater.
The result obtained is more or less this, depending on the size of the grater holes:
Cook, as always, by dropping them into boiling water and waiting a minute or two for them to float to the surface.
As with all other types of gnocchi, if you are not cooking them immediately, freeze them, it is the best way to keep them intact. Place them in the freezer directly with the tray they were laid on (not overlapping), then when they have just hardened, transfer them to a bag. This way they will freeze separately and in the bag they will take up little space in the freezer.
As I mentioned in the introduction, these semolina gnocchi turned out quite soft, yet maintaining (I would say fortunately) a consistency that allowed me to rework them with the tip of my index finger on the grater. I ran the risk of failing because after boiling the water and pouring the semolina into the pot, the mixture immediately thickened and seemed too compact, prompting me to add half a glass of water. A mistake, because the perception of the hardness of the mixture through the spoon is not realistic compared to the reality when handled on the board, where it feels softer. So my advice is to consider the amount of water also based on the type of gnocco you want to obtain: if the mixture seems soft to you, it is perfectly fine, the gnocchi can also be cooked by spooning them into the water, but if you want to handle them with your hands, they need to have a dry consistency.

Salt-Free Tips

Without salt Just a reminder that I cook without adding salt 😉 If you want to know more, read this article and join my group!

If you’re interested in reducing or eliminating salt, always remember to:
▫ Reduce salt gradually, the palate has to get used to it slowly and should not notice the gradual reduction.
▫ Use spices. Chili, pepper, curry, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, cumin…
▫ Use aromatic herbs. Basil, parsley, oregano, thyme, sage, marjoram, rosemary, mint…
▫ Use seeds. Sesame, pine nuts, almonds, walnuts…
▫ Use spicy vegetables or fruit. Garlic, onion, lemon, orange…
▫ Use my salt-free vegetable granules
▫ Prefer fresh foods.
▫ Avoid boiling, prefer cooking that does not disperse flavors (grill, foil, steam, microwave)
▫ Avoid bringing the salt shaker to the table!
▫ Occasionally allow yourself an exception to the rule. It is good for the mood and helps to persevere.

If you can’t or don’t want to give up salt:
▫ You can still try my recipes salting according to your habits.