How to Make Semolina Gnocchi

You're probably familiar with potato gnocchi, small pasta dumplings made with mashed potatoes, but semolina gnocchi are also a classic Italian dish. Semolina gnocchi are made by mixing semolina flour with milk, butter, parmesan cheese, and egg yolks. Instead of rolling individual gnocchi, you roll the dough into a sheet and use a cookie cutter to form disks of gnocchi. You can finish the semolina gnocchi by baking them with additional cheese, rather than boiling them. You'll soon have a hearty and creamy pasta dish.

Ingredients

Makes 8 appetizer servings or 4 to 6 entree servings

6 cups (1.4 liters) of milk
Kosher salt
1 1/2 cups (250 g) of semolina flour
8 tablespoons (113 g) of unsalted butter, divided, plus more for greasing
1 cup (100 g) of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for grating
3 egg yolks, lightly beaten

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Making the Semolina Gnocchi Dough

1
Heat the milk and whisk in the semolina flour. Pour 6 cups (1.4 liters) of milk into a large saucepan and turn the heat to medium-high. Whisk the milk every once in a while as it heats. When the milk steams, add a few pinches of salt and gradually whisk in 1 1/2 cups (250 g) of semolina flour.^{[1]XResearch source}
- It's important to whisk the semolina constantly and add it slowly. This will prevent lumps from forming in the dough.
2
Cook the semolina mixture. Turn the heat to medium-low and use a wooden spoon to stir the thick semolina mixture for 10 to 15 minutes. You should stir constantly until the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the pan. The semolina dough will become elastic and stretchy.^{[2]XResearch source}
- You can also use a thick rubber spatula to stir the semolina as it cooks.
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3
Stir in butter, cheese, and egg yolks. Turn off the heat and remove the pan from the stove. Stir in half of the unsalted butter (4 tablespoons or 56 g), so that it melts completely. Stir in 1 cup (100 g) of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, so that it's combined. Add 3 egg yolks and stir the semolina gnocchi dough well.^{[3]XResearch source}
- Adding the egg yolks last will give the semolina dough a chance to cool down a little, so the egg yolks won't cook.
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Cutting the Gnocchi

1
Prepare a baking sheet and spread the dough. Spread a little butter across a rimmed baking sheet to prevent the dough from sticking. Dump the gnocchi dough on the pan and use your fingers or a wet rubber spatula to press the dough into a large layer. Try to press the dough down to 1/2-inch (12 mm) thick. You don't have to completely fill the baking sheet, since you'll be cutting out the gnocchi.^{[4]XResearch source}
- If your fingers stick to the dough, dip your hands in warm water and then press down into the dough.
2
Cover and chill the dough. Tear off a large sheet of plastic wrap and press it against the dough, so it doesn't dry out. Put the sheet of dough in the refrigerator and chill it for 40 minutes. This will make it easier to cut and handle.^{[5]XResearch source}
- You can chill the semolina gnocchi dough for several hours or even until overnight.
3
Preheat the oven and cut the gnocchi. Turn the oven on to 450 degrees F (230 C). Get out a 3-inch (7.5 cm) round cookie cutter or glass. Remove the gnocchi dough and take off the plastic wrap. Use the cookie cutter to cut the dough into rounds. Avoid rerolling and cutting the scraps.^{[6]XResearch source}
- If the cookie cutter sticks, just dip it in water.
- You can fry the scraps or form smaller gnocchi rounds to cook separately. You can refrigerate the scraps for several days before using them.
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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Baking and Serving the Semolina Gnocchi

1
Prepare a baking dish and place the rounds in the pan. Spread a little butter in a large baking dish, so the gnocchi won't stick to the dish. Run a thin metal spatula under each gnocchi round and carefully transfer them to the baking dish. Set them in the dish so they overlap a little.^{[7]XResearch source}
- You could also use a large oven-safe skillet instead of a baking dish.
2
Top the gnocchi with melted butter and cheese. Melt the rest of the butter (4 tablespoons or 56 g) and slowly pour it over the gnocchi in the baking dish. Grate some extra Parmigiano-Reggiano over the top of the gnocchi.^{[8]XResearch source}
- You can use as much extra cheese as you like. The cheese will give the dish extra flavor and will help it brown as it bakes.
3
Bake the semolina gnocchi. Put the dish of semolina gnocchi in the preheated oven and bake it for 15 minutes. The gnocchi should turn golden brown and will sizzle a little. Carefully remove the pan from the oven and serve it immediately.^{[9]XResearch source}
- Consider serving the semolina gnocchi with a classic green salad and extra grated parmesan cheese.
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