The gnocchetti in frasca is a typical dish from Micciani, a small hamlet in the municipality of Cittaducale, in the province of Rieti and surrounding areas.
It is typically an autumn and winter dish because it contains some ingredients that were traditionally ready in autumn. Beans and corn flour were available after the summer harvest from September onwards. The grinding of grains that took place at ancient mills, in this case “La mola Scorretti” on the Peschiera Springs, ensured the survival of neighboring populations, who worked hard to obtain flour for bread and pasta.
Now there’s no longer this restriction, the ingredients to make this soup are available all year round, but as it is made, it is perfect for the colder season.
This recipe is part of the project organized by the Chamber of Commerce of Rieti and Viterbo and Azienda speciale Centro Italia within the “Tourism and Culture” initiative, which I talked about a few days ago when publishing the m’briachelle recipe.
These gnocchetti are very special because they are made with wheat flour and corn flour, without potatoes. Once cooked, they are dressed with stewed borlotti beans but with a very tasty twist. In fact, the bean stew is enriched with delicious Amatriciano guanciale, making the sauce decidedly flavorful.
The consistency is that of a thick soup, which can be more or less brothy depending on our taste, just adjust the amount of liquid in the final cooking stage of the gnocchetti in frasca.
Here are some soups and stews perfect for this period.
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 8 Hours
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 4 people
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
- Energy 845.38 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 110.55 (g) of which sugars 2.03 (g)
- Proteins 21.19 (g)
- Fat 37.70 (g) of which saturated 11.03 (g)of which unsaturated 16.74 (g)
- Fibers 10.30 (g)
- Sodium 604.71 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 350 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for Gnocchetti in Frasca
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup coarse cornmeal
- 14 oz borlotti beans (from Micciani)
- 14 oz tomato puree
- 2 slices guanciale (Amatriciano)
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- to taste salt
Tools
- Casserole
Preparation of Gnocchetti in Frasca
Soak the borlotti beans the night before.
After the soaking time, boil the beans in plenty of unsalted water. It will take about two hours. Once ready, drain them and save the cooking liquid, which will be used instead of water to cook the bean stew.
Cut the guanciale into strips and place it in a casserole with a little extra virgin olive oil. Let it brown well, then add the tomato puree.
Stir carefully and adjust the salt.
Add the previously boiled borlotti beans, stir and continue cooking for ten minutes, adding a little of the saved bean cooking liquid.
Prepare the gnocchetti. Put the two flours in a bowl, mix briefly and add a little warm water. Start kneading, adding water until you get a homogeneous and smooth dough. It should not be sticky.
Transfer the dough to the work surface and knead for a few more minutes.
Take a piece of dough at a time and form thick strips less than a finger wide. Cut into pieces forming gnocchetti and set aside on the work surface, possibly adding a little cornmeal to prevent sticking.
Cook the gnocchetti in plenty of salted water. As soon as they are ready, drain them with a slotted spoon and plunge them into the bean stew, adding a little cooking water. This way you can adjust the consistency of the soup.
Serve immediately in individual bowls.
