Gnocchi alla Romana are tremendously satisfying, but they are also rich, to the point that dietitians would frown on one's making them too often. This variation Elisabetta's Aunt Emma learned while living in Rome many years ago is much lighter: It doesn't have any eggs, and reduces the milk as well. You'll need:
Prep Time: 2 hours, 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups (250 g) semolina
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 pint (500 ml) skim milk
- 1 pint (500 ml) water
- 3/4 cup (about 40 g) freshly grated Parmigiano
- 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
Preparation:
Combine the water, milk, and salt, and bring the mixture to a boil. Add the semolina in a steady stream, whisking all the while, and then half the butter. Continue stirring; the mixture will thicken quickly, to the point that you will want to switch to a wooden spoon.
Continue cooking the semolina over a moderate flame, stirring constantly, until it peels easily away from the sides of the pot, about 20 minutes. By this time the semolina will be quite thick.
Spread the mixture out on your work surface in a 3/4 inch (1.cm) layer and let it cool. Use a moistened glass to cut out rounds, and arrange them in a baking dish, partially overlapping them. Either distribute the cuttings in the spaces between the rounds, or save them for a less elegant batch of gnocchi.
Sprinkle the cheese over the gnocchi and dot them with butter. Bake them in a preheated 400 F (200 C) oven for about 15 minutes or until heated through and browned, and serve, either as a first course, or with a roast or stew. A wine, if you're serving them alone? White, for example Orvieto Bianco, or Est! Est! Est!
Continue cooking the semolina over a moderate flame, stirring constantly, until it peels easily away from the sides of the pot, about 20 minutes. By this time the semolina will be quite thick.
Spread the mixture out on your work surface in a 3/4 inch (1.cm) layer and let it cool. Use a moistened glass to cut out rounds, and arrange them in a baking dish, partially overlapping them. Either distribute the cuttings in the spaces between the rounds, or save them for a less elegant batch of gnocchi.
Sprinkle the cheese over the gnocchi and dot them with butter. Bake them in a preheated 400 F (200 C) oven for about 15 minutes or until heated through and browned, and serve, either as a first course, or with a roast or stew. A wine, if you're serving them alone? White, for example Orvieto Bianco, or Est! Est! Est!
