The semolina goes into hot milk slowly and gets stirred continuously for fifteen to twenty minutes until the mixture is very thick. This is the step that requires patience and rewards it. Butter, Parmigiano Reggiano, nutmeg, salt, and pepper go in next, then the egg yolk off the heat. The mixture spreads onto a moistened baking sheet and cools until firm enough to cut into neat two-inch discs with a cookie cutter. Those discs overlap in a buttered baking dish, get a final layer of cheese and dotted butter, and go into a 425°F oven.
Gnocchi alla Romana is unambiguously rich, semolina, cheese, and butter leave no room for pretending otherwise. So, start by reserving some time on the treadmill, before you prepare this dish. As a side dish for two it is deeply satisfying and entirely worth the hour it takes, most of which is cooling time rather than active cooking. The golden crust that forms in the oven is the moment the dish earns everything it asked of you.
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Key Ingredients in This Recipe
You’ll find the complete list of ingredients and exact quantities in the recipe below.
- Semolina flour
- Milk – I used 1%, but 2% of whole milk will work as well.
- Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese
- Butter
- Nutmeg (optional) – I always add nutmeg to a cheese dish, as it deepens the cheese flavor, but it is not a must if you don’t like nutmeg.
- Egg yolk
Before you begin, watch this quick video below, it shows how the recipe comes together.
How to Make Gnocchi alla Romana
Step 1 – Heat the milk in a saucepan and allow it to come to an almost boil. Reduce the heat and slowly whisk in the semolina. Continue whisking and the mixture will turn thick in a couple of minutes. You may like to use a wooden spoon at this stage. Continue stirring for 15-20 minutes on low heat, you will end up with a very thick mixture.
Step 2 – Add butter, salt, pepper, nutmeg and most of the cheese, and stir again.
Step 4 – Take pan from heat and add the egg yolk and stir again until fully incorporated.
Step 5 – Moisten part of a baking sheet with water and spread the semolina mixture onto the baking sheet. Spread out with an offset spatula into a 1/2-inch thick layer.
Allow to cool (you can speed this up by placing the baking sheet in the fridge).
Step 6 – Grease a baking dish with butter. Use a cookie or biscuit cutter (about 2-inch in diameter) and cut the cooled semolina in discs. Dip the cookie cutter in water between cuts, to prevent the semolina mixture from sticking to the cookie cutter.
If the discs do not come off the baking dish easily, the mixture is not cold enough.
Step 7 – Fill a baking dish with semolina discs, each overlapping the previous. You can reshape the scraps and make more discs. Sprinkle remaining grated cheese over the discs as well as little dollops of butter.
Cover dish and place in fridge until it is take to bake it.
Place baking dish in an oven of 425°F and bake for 15-20 minutes or until a beautiful golden crust is visible.
Serve and ENJOY !
Other Simply Side Dishes to Try
Gnocchi alla Romana
Pin Recipe FacebookIngredients
- 1 cup milk
- 1/4 cup semolina flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
- nutmeg
- salt & pepper
- 1 egg yolk
- Parmigiano Reggiano (for thin top layer), grated
- butter (for greasing and top layer gnocchi)
Instructions
- Heat the milk in a saucepan and allow it to come to an almost boil. Reduce the heat and slowly whisk in the semolina. Continue whisking and the mixture will turn thick in a couple of minutes. You may like to use a wooden spoon at this stage. Continue stirring for 15-20 minutes on low heat, you will end up with a very thick mixture.
- Add 3/4 of the cheese, butter, salt, pepper and nutmeg and stir again.
- Take the saucepan from the stove and add the egg yolk and stir again until fully incorporated.
- Moisten a baking sheet with water and spread the semolina mixture onto the baking sheet. Spread out with an offset spatula into a 1/2-inch thick layer.
- Allow to cool (speed this up by placing the baking sheet in the fridge). This will take about 20 minutes.
- Grease a baking dish with butter. Use a cookie or biscuit cutter (about 2-inch in diameter) and cut the cooled semolina in discs. Dip the cookie cutter in water between cuts, to prevent the semolina mixture to stick to the cookie cutter. Fill the baking dish with semolina discs, each overlapping the previous.
- Sprinkle the remaining grated cheese over the discs as well as little dollops of butter.
- Place baking dish in an oven of 425°F and bake for 15-20 minutes or until a beautiful golden crust is visible.
- If you are not ready to bake as yet, this is the time to cover the dish and keep it in the fridge.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.