Gnocchi

GnocchiTemplate:Efn are a varied family of pasta-like dumplings in Italian cuisine. They are made of small rolls of dough, such as those composed of a simple combination of wheat flour, potato, egg, and salt. Variations of the dish supplement the simple recipe with flavour additives, such as semolina flour, cheese, breadcrumbs, cornmeal or similar ingredients, and possibly including herbs, vegetables, and other ingredients. Base ingredients may be substituted with alternatives, such as sweet potatoes for potatoes or rice flour for wheat flour. Such variations are often considered to be non-traditional.

Gnocchi are commonly cooked in salted boiling water and then dressed with various sauces. They are usually eaten as a first course () as an alternative to soups () or pasta, but they can also be served as a contorno (side dish) to some main courses. Common accompaniments of gnocchi include melted butter with sage, pesto, and various sauces. Gnocchi may be homemade, made by specialty stores or produced industrially and distributed refrigerated, dried or frozen. Small soup gnocchi are sometimes made by pressing the dough through a coarse sieve or a perforated spoon.

Origin

File:Gnocchi Red Sauce.jpg

Gnocchi in slowly simmered red sauce

The word may be derived from the Italian word , meaning 'a knot in wood', or from , meaning 'knuckle'. It has been a traditional dish since Roman times. It was introduced by the Roman legions during the expansion of the empire into the countries of the European continent. One ancient Roman recipe consists of a semolina porridge-like dough mixed with eggs; similar modern dishes include the baked and Sardinian , which do not contain eggs.

After potato was introduced to Europe, it was incorporated into gnocchi recipes in the late 19th century, as fees for milling wheat became too expensive for small landowners in central and northern Italy, encouraging the use of alternatives to flour when feasible. Potato gnocchi are particularly popular in Lombardy, Abruzzo, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Veneto, and Lazio.

Ingredients and preparation

File:Gnocchi board or cavarola.jpg

Gnocchi board or

File:Creazione gnocchi.jpg

Forming gnocchi with a

Ingredients typically include wheat flour, potato, egg, and salt. Variations of the dish supplement the simple recipe with flavour additives, such as semolina flour, cheese, breadcrumbs, cornmeal or similar ingredients, and possibly including herbs, vegetables, and other ingredients.

The dough for gnocchi is often rolled out before it is cut into small pieces about the size of a wine cork or smaller. The dumplings may be pressed with a textured object, such as a fork or a cheese grater, to make ridges or cut into little lumps. Professional tools exist for this purpose, known as gnocchi or boards.

Gnocchi that are homemade are usually consumed the same day they are made. However, they can be cut into bite-sized dumplings, spread evenly on a baking sheet, frozen, then packaged in an air-tight bag and back into the freezer for later consumption. This method can allow the gnocchi to last up to two months in the freezer.

Commercial gnocchi are often sold under modified atmospheric packaging and may achieve a shelf life of two weeks or more under refrigeration. Some are sold in vacuum packaging that is shelf-stable, only needing refrigeration once it is opened.

Varieties

Italy

Lombard and Tuscan (Template:Literally) are made with ricotta, flour, and spinach, as well as the addition of various other herbs if required. Tuscan distinctively contains less flour; but some varieties are flour-based, such as the Campanian , the Apulian , the Sardinian , and so on. Certain kinds are made of cooked polenta or semolina, which is spread out to dry, layered with cheese and butter, and baked.

Outside Italy

Croatia

Gnocchi are very popular and often served as a 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

In France, is a hot dish of dumplings made of choux pastry served with béchamel sauce.

A specialty of Nice, or are made with potatoes, wheat flour, and eggs. Another version including (Swiss chard) is called (Template:Literally).

In Provence, potato gnocchi can be made in a longer shape called .

South America

Due to the significant number of Italian immigrants who arrived in Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay, gnocchi, ñoqui () or () is a popular dish, even in areas with few Italian immigrants. In Uruguay, Paraguay, and Argentina, there is a tradition of eating gnocchi on the 29th of each month, with some people putting money beneath their plates to bring prosperity. Indeed, in Argentina and Uruguay ñoqui is slang for a bogus employee (according to corrupt accountancy practices or, in the public sector, the distribution of political patronage), who only turns up at the end of the month to receive their salary.

See also

• List of pasta
• List of pasta dishes
• List of dumplings

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.