Although considered a typical dish of regional cuisine of Lazio, the “gnocchi alaRomana” havean uncertain origin and a history that probably starts from afar. According to some sources, the recipe originates in Piedmont, while others link the Romanity of the dish to a trivial transcription error. In fact, it is suspected that the “Roman dumplings” were in principle the “Romanian dumplings.”
Regardless of these theories, all the taverns in Rome have them on the blackboard. So, have no doubts: these Roman gnocchisarenow a 100% Roman tradition.
This is one of the few Lazio dishes that my Nordic maternal grandmother cooked when I was a child. I loved the crunchy crust they have!
Semolina dumpling
- Preparation time: 90 minutes
- Ingredients for 4 servings
- Difficulty: Easy recipe
- Ingredients
- 1 liter or 1 US quart of milk
- 200 gr or 7 oz of semolina
- 4 egg yolks
- Grated parmesan cheese to taste
- 40 gr or 1 1/2 oz of butter
- Salt to taste
- Instructions
- Boil the milk in a pan. Remove the pan from the heat. Add salt and then the semolina, stirring quickly with a whisk. Return the pan to the heat and cook over low heat for about fifteen minutes. Prolonged cooking is useful for makingthe semolina digestible.
- Remove the mixture from the heat and let it cool for a few minutes.
- Add some grated Parmesan cheese , around 8 tablespoons, and egg yolks to the semolina one at a time.
- Spread the semolina on a wet pan to a height of 0 25⁄64in and allow to cool. Cut small circles with a cup.
- Place the slightly overlapping semolina discs in a buttered pan; sprinkle with grated Parmesan and butter flakes.
- Cook in a hot oven at 400° F for about twenty minutes or until they have made a crust.
Tips to ensure the success of the dish:
- When pouring the semolina into the boiling milk, stir quickly with a whisk to prevent lumps from forming.
- The semolina should be cooked over low heat to prevent the milk from evaporating before the end of cooking.
Grandma Irene with Grandpa Aldo
