Gnocchi alla Romana — the easy recipe for soft, flavorful semolina gnocchi. What was it they said? Thursday gnocchi, maybe? Sure, come on — and they’re good on other days of the week too! The gnocchi are a first course of humble origins present in many cultures and prepared in lots of different ways with assorted flours and shapes. Think of rice gnocchi, for example. In Italy there really are every kind, and I’ve made quite a few myself, from gnocchi without potatoes made with water and flour to the more classic homemade potato gnocchi, not to mention beetroot gnocchi, pumpkin gnocchi, spinach gnocchi, filled gnocchi filled with gorgonzola and many more. But among all the tempting gnocchi recipes we’ve made, perhaps we were missing the most famous: Gnocchi alla Romana made with semolina! Semolina is the same ingredient used for sweet recipes like migliaccio, the sfogliatella riccia and sfogliatella frolla, but also for savory dishes like frascatula, the Sicilian polenta. Combined with milk and butter, it becomes the star of our dish.

A typical Roman recipe, gnocchi alla Romana are creamy, succulent semolina discs characterized by a golden, crisp crust achieved with the addition of butter and Pecorino Romano! Let’s get into the kitchen, discover together grandma’s recipe for gnocchi alla Romana and enjoy them piping hot. If in Rome the right day to eat them has always been Thursday, I’m sure once you try them you’ll make them much more often than you think! As always, before we start cooking, remember that if you want to stay updated on my recipes you can follow my Facebook page and my Instagram profile.

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Difficulty: Very easy
Cost: Very economical
Rest time: 1 Hour
Preparation time: 15 Minutes
Portions: 2-3
Cooking methods: Stovetop, Oven
Cuisine: Italian
Seasonality: All seasons

Ingredients to make Gnocchi alla Romana

3/4 cup (about 4.6 oz) semolina
2 cups + 1 1/3 tbsp (about 17 fl oz) cup whole milk
to taste salt
1 3/4 tbsp (≈0.9 oz) butter (high-quality, such as Irish butter or churned butter)
1 egg yolk
to taste nutmeg
3/4 cup (about 2.8 oz) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (or Grana Padano)
3 1/2 tbsp (≈1.8 oz) butter (high-quality)
1/3 cup (≈1.1 oz) Pecorino Romano
1/3 cup (≈1.1 oz) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (or Grana Padano)

Tools

Pot
Baking dish
Parchment paper

Preparation

To make gnocchi alla Romana, start by heating the milk in a pot. Add the butter, salt, nutmeg and a pinch of black pepper if you like. Just before the milk comes to a boil,
add the semolina gradually in a steady stream. Stir with a whisk at first and then with a spatula, cooking until the mixture starts to pull away from the pot. It will only take a few seconds. Off the heat, stir in the egg yolk until combined, then add
the grated cheese and mix again. Transfer the mixture onto a sheet of parchment paper, shaping it into a long, narrow log; wrap it in the parchment and shape it into a cylinder.
Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Once the cylinder has set, slice it into discs about 3/8 inch thick using a sharp knife or a doubled cotton thread for a cleaner cut.
Arrange the discs in a baking dish, drizzle with the melted butter, sprinkle with grated cheese and bake in the oven at 392°F (200°C) for 20–25 minutes or until golden.
Remove from the oven and serve immediately, piping hot, on warmed plates (not cold).