Gnocchi alla Romana are round patties of coarse durum wheat semolina topped with abundant cheese and baked. They form a crispy top but remain tender inside. The authentic recipe uses "Semolina", not semolina flour, which is very different. They are not like regular potatoes gnocchi; they are much easier to make with a consistency similar to polenta.
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Italian
Keyword baked semolina gnocchi, gnocchi alla romana, semolina gnocchi
Once the milk is boiling, add the semolina gradually, stirring with a whisk, making sure it properly amalgamates without forming granules
½ lb semolina
Cook for only a few minutes. Once it thickens, add the egg yolks and the grated Parmesan
2 egg yolk, ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan
Keep stirring until they are combined
Making the cakes
While the semolina is still warm, cover a baking pan with parchment paper
With a spatula, spread the semolina uniformly with a thickness of about 1 inch - 2.5 cm
To make an even surface, cover it with another sheet of parchment paper
Roll it flat with a rolling pin
Remove the top sheet
Let it cool down to room temperature
Once the semolina is cold, cut the cakes with a cookie cutter
Gently remove them with a spatula. They should be firm and very easy to handle
Baking the gnocchi
Butter a glass or ceramic baking pan. Use a nice pan as they will be served in it.
Place the round cakes on the pan, each row slightly overlapping the back one
Top with the remaining butter
4 tablespoon butter
Sprinkle with abundant freshly grated parmesan cheese
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan
Bake in a hot oven at 390 F - 200 C until crisp. It should take about 25 to 30 minutes
Serve them warm just out of the oven
Video
Notes
To make these gnocchi, you must buy semolina, NOT semolina flour. I couldn't find it on amazon.com, so if you live in the USA, you may have to look for it at a local Italian shop.If you are in the UK, you can find it at the De Cecco shop: