Gnocchi

Gnocchi
Entrée
Gnocchi di ricotta, dressed in butter and sage
Place of origin:
Italy
Serving temperature:
Hot or warm
Main ingredient(s):
Potatoes (or semolina or wheat flour or breadcrumbs); sometimes eggs, cheese
Variations:
Malfatti, cavatielli
Recipes at Wikibooks:
Gnocchi
Media at Wikimedia Commons:
Gnocchi

Gnocchi (/ˈnɒki/ or /ˈnjɒki/; Italian: [ˈɲɔkki], singular gnocco) are various thick, soft pastas that may be made from semolina,^[1] ordinary wheat flour,^[2] flour and egg,^[3] flour, egg, and cheese,^[4] potato,^[5] breadcrumbs,^[6] or similar ingredients.^[7][8][9]

Like many Italian dishes, there is considerable variation in recipes and names across different regions. For example, the Tuscan malfatti (literally "poorly made") are a sort of flour, ricotta, and spinach gnocchi;^[10] the Pugliese cavatielli are flour-based, and so on.^[11]

Gnocchi are eaten as a first course (primo piatto), as an alternative to soups (minestre) or pasta. They are generally home-made in Italian and diaspora Italian households. They may also be bought fresh from speciality stores. In supermarkets, industrially produced packaged gnocchi are widely available refrigerated, dried, or frozen. Common accompaniments of gnocchi include melted butter (sometimes fried butter) with sage, pesto, and various sauces.

Origin

The word gnocchi may derive from the Italian word nocchio, meaning a knot in wood,^[12] or from nocca (meaning knuckle).^[13] It has been a traditional Italian pasta type of probable Middle Eastern origin since Roman times.^[14] It was introduced by the Roman legions during the expansion of the empire into the countries of the European continent. In the past 2,000 years, each country developed its own specific type of small dumpling, with the ancient gnocchi as their common ancestor. In Roman times, gnocchi were made from a semolina porridge-like dough mixed with eggs, and are still found in similar forms today, particularly the oven-baked gnocchi alla romana and Sardinia's malloreddus (although these do not contain eggs).

The use of potato is a relatively recent innovation, occurring after the introduction of the potato to Europe in the 16th century.^[15] Potato gnocchi are particularly popular in Abruzzo, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Veneto, Ciociaria and other provinces of Latium. As with other mashed potato dishes they are best prepared with floury potatoes to keep a light texture.

Regional varieties

One variety, gnocchi di pane (literally "bread lumps"), derived from the Semmelknödel, is made from breadcrumbs and is popular in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Veneto and Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. Another variety from the latter region is spinach gnocchi.^{[citation needed]}

Croatia

Gnocchi are a very popular and often served dish in coastal Croatia, typically being served as a first course or a side dish with Dalmatinska pašticada. The Croatian name for Gnocchi is 'njoki'.

France

The name is also used in France in the dish known as "gnocchis à la parisienne", a hot dish comprising gnocchi formed of choux pastry, and served with Béchamel sauce.

In Nice, the "gnocchi de tantifla a la nissarda" is made with potatoes, and wheat flour.^[16] It's a refined speciality in Nice.

There is another variant of the "gnocchi de tantifla a la nissarda". It's "la merda dé can", literally, the dog shit. It's made with potatoes, wheat flour, eggs and 'blette' (Swiss Chard), which is also used for the "tourte de blette". "La merda dé can" is longer than the original gnocchi.

South America

Due to the significant number of Italian immigrants who arrived in Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay, gnocchi, ñoqui (Spanish, [ˈɲoki]) or nhoque (Portuguese, pronounced: [ˈɲɔki]) is a popular dish, even in areas with few Italian immigrants. In Uruguay, Argentina and Brazil there is a tradition of eating gnocchi on the 29th of each month, with some people putting money beneath their plates to bring prosperity.

Gallery

Gnocchi being prepared  Spinach gnocchi with butter and sage  Gnocchi with truffle  A type of pasta that is called "gnocchi"

See also

• Kopytka
• Spätzle

References

Further reading

• Davidson, Alan. The Oxford Companion to Food, s.v. gnocchi.
• Jenkins, Nancy Harmon. Flavors of Tuscany. 1998.
• GARNERONE, Myriam. "Traditions et Cuisine du pays niçois, Recettes Niçoises de nos Grands-Mères". 2008.

External links

Media related to Gnocchi at Wikimedia Commons

• Gnocchi Recipe, with video
• Gnocchi Recipe
• Homemade Potato Gnocchi Recipe
• Step-by-Step Illustrated Gnocchi Recipe

Look up gnocchi in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.