Here is the recipe for durum wheat semolina gnocchi, a basic preparation that I mentioned when I updated the recipe for cheese au gratin gnocchi. And it adds to the other gnocchi in the collection of basic recipes.
I’m trying out all the versions, truly countless, that can be made of gnocchi. In recent years, I have become passionate about potato-free versions, much quicker to prepare, and which have always turned out very well so far.
As you know if you’ve been following me for a while, there is already another version of these semolina gnocchi on the blog (the green version, with spinach), but the water-to-semolina ratio in this spinach-free version is obviously different, hence the separate recipe has its own reason for being. But above all, I took the opportunity to make these gnocchi in a ‘grated revisited’ version, something I had promised myself 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 make me smile every time because they always remind me of the first time I saw them when I was a child. My mom wasn’t used to making them like this, so I remember very well the sense of surprise I had when I saw these strange gnocchi on the plate! 😃
Of course, as always, mom made potato gnocchi, back then around here gnocchi were only made that way, 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. That is… just to be clear: they should not be soft gnocchi, otherwise they will squish, no need to use roundabout expressions to explain it. And, sincerity for sincerity, these semolina gnocchi turned out pretty much at the limit, if you look closely you can deduce it from the photos (but read the note at the end of the recipe, I’ll explain a detail about the amount of water to use 😉).
Well, I’m ready to write the recipe, are you ready? 🙂
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Very Cheap
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Boiling, Stove
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All Seasons
Ingredients
- 4 cups re-milled durum wheat semolina
- 2 1/4 cups water
Tools
- Pot
- Spoon
- Kneading Board
- Knife
- Grater
Steps
Bring the water to a boil in a high-sided pot.
When the water boils, lower the flame to the minimum and pour in the semolina all at once, not gradually.
Stir with a spoon (preferably with a long handle), briefly because a coarse mass forms immediately.
Immediately transfer the mixture to the work surface or wooden board and knead it right away with your hands, being careful not to burn yourself.
The mixture is a bit sticky so it’s good to flour the work surface and hands several times.
When the dough is well mixed, you can proceed with forming the logs, always flouring the work surface.
Cut the logs into pieces.
Pass each gnocco on the back of the grater.
The result you get is more or less this, depending on the size of the grater holes:
Cook, as always, by pouring them into boiling water and waiting a minute or two for them to float to the top.
As with all other types of gnocchi, if you don’t cook them right away, freeze them, it’s the best way to keep them intact. Place them in the freezer directly with the tray you have laid them on (not stacked), then when they have even just slightly hardened, transfer them to a bag. In this way, they will freeze separately and take up little space in the freezer.
As I mentioned in the introduction, these semolina gnocchi turned out quite soft, though maintaining a consistency that allowed me to roll them with the tip of my finger on the grater. I risked not succeeding in the endeavor because after bringing the water to a boil and pouring the semolina into the pot, the mixture congealed immediately and seemed too compact, making me decide to add half a glass of water. A mistake, because the perception you have through the spoon of the hardness of the mixture is not realistic compared to the reality you touch by hand on the board, working the mixture with your hands it turns out softer. So my advice is to also consider the amount of water based on the type of gnocco you want to obtain: if the mixture seems soft to you it’s perfectly fine, the gnocchi can 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
Remember that I cook without adding salt 😉 If you want to know more, read this article and join my group!
If you are interested in reducing or eliminating salt, always remember to:
▫ Reduce salt gradually, the palate must gradually get used to it without noticing the progressive 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, nuts…
▫ Use spicy vegetables or fruit. Garlic, onion, lemon, orange…
▫ Use my salt-free vegetable granules and gomasio.
▫ Prefer fresh foods.
▫ Avoid cooking in water, prefer cooking methods that do not disperse flavors (grill, foil, steam, microwave)
▫ Avoid bringing the salt shaker to the table!
▫ Sometimes allow yourself a break from the rule. It lifts your mood and helps to persevere.
If you do not want, or cannot, give up salt:
▫ You can still try my recipes by salting according to your habits.
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On the WhatsApp channel and on Instagram, on the Facebook page, on Pinterest boards, in my two groups: Catia’s group, in the kitchen and beyond and Just what I was looking for! and if you like… subscribe to my Newsletter
