Chestnut flour gnocchi are not only delicious but are also very easy to prepare. A type of pasta that is well-suited to be dressed with everything autumn has to offer. Especially great with any type of mushrooms. For this recipe, I did not use boiled chestnuts because the flour is faster to use, and it is the same flour I use for fritters and chestnut cake. Alternatively, if you want to prepare them with fresh chestnuts, you can follow the procedure for potato gnocchi, and they will definitely be softer. Since you’re getting your hands dirty, I recommend making a batch to freeze, ready to enjoy when unexpected guests arrive: they are excellent even with just onion, bacon, and grated Pecorino Romano cheese.
If you like homemade pasta, don’t miss the upcoming recipes:
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 4 people
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
Ingredients
- 2 cups chestnut flour
- 3/4 cup type 2 flour
- 1 egg
- 7 tbsp water
- 1 pinch salt
Tools
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Fork
- 1 Dough cutter
- 1 Tray
Preparation
Set up your workspace with all the necessary ingredients, already measured so everything is within reach. In a bowl, pour the chestnut flour followed by the type 2 flour. Add a pinch of salt and a whole egg.
Mix the ingredients, add the necessary water preferably at room temperature, and continue to incorporate. When the mixture has gained consistency, remove it from the bowl and turn it onto the work surface.
Before kneading, dust the board with a bit of flour and work for a few minutes until you get a soft, but homogeneous mixture (if it becomes too hard, add a bit of water). Shape into a ball with your hands and take portions at a time to form a small cylinder about 1/2 inch thick.
Cut the cylinder with a dough cutter into pieces about 3/4 inch long (you can choose the thickness and size of your gnocchi as you like, but remember the larger they are, the longer they’ll take to cook) and roll each one on the tines of an overturned fork. A ribbed wooden board works fine too. Arrange the gnocchi on a plate or tray and dust them with a little flour.
Now our Chestnut Flour Gnocchi are ready to be plunged into boiling water and dressed with whatever we like best.
Tips and Storage
Chestnut gnocchi can be stored for 1 day, well-spaced on a tray and covered with a cloth, but they will tend to dry out.
Alternatively, in the same way, you can put them in the freezer. Once ready, you can detach them from the tray and place them in a container, always putting them back in the freezer.
At this point, I recommend cooking them directly from frozen.
