Best Semolina Gnocchi Recipes

GNOCCHI ALLA ROMANA (BAKED SEMOLINA GNOCCHI)

Steps:

• Combine milk, 1/4 cup butter, and a pinch of salt in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Whisk semolina into boiling milk, mixing well to prevent lumps. Reduce heat and cook, stirring often, until thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat. Add egg yolks, 1 cup Grana Padano, and Gruyere cheese; stir well.
• Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat; cook and stir pancetta until crisp, 7 to 10 minutes. Stir pancetta into semolina mixture.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease 2 baking sheets with 1 1/2 teaspoon butter.
• Spread semolina mixture onto 1 of the prepared baking sheets, about 1/2-inch thick. Allow to cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes.
• Cut small disks out of cooled semolina using a juice glass or cookie cutter. Place the disks onto the other prepared baking sheet, slightly overlapping the disks. Sprinkle the remaining Grana Padano cheese over disks and dot with remaining 1 1/2 teaspoon butter.
• Bake in the preheated oven until gnocchi are nicely crisp and golden, about 20 minutes.

ROMAN STYLE BAKED SEMOLINA GNOCCHI

Steps:

• In a 3- to 4-quart saucepan, combine milk, nutmeg, salt and 4 tablespoons butter. Bring just to a boil, lower heat to medium and immediately start adding semolina in a thin stream, whisking constantly. Keep whisking to make a smooth mixture. Reduce heat to very low and cook, stirring, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in half the cheese and the egg yolks.
• Use some of the oil to grease a baking sheet. Spread hot dough on baking sheet to a thickness of 1/2 inch. Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until very cold, 4 hours or overnight.
• Heat remaining oil in a saucepan, add garlic and onion, cook until soft and add tomatoes. Simmer gently about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Use a little remaining butter to grease a shallow baking dish about 9 by 13 inches. Use a 2- to 3-inch round cookie cutter or a glass to cut disks of chilled dough. Keep dipping cutter in cold water to prevent sticking. Lift disks off baking sheet and arrange, slightly overlapping, in baking dish. Scraps can be kneaded briefly and smoothed out to allow for a few additional disks. Sprinkle disks in dish with remaining cheese and dot with remaining butter. Bake about 15 minutes, until lightly browned.
• Gently reheat sauce. Serve gnocchi with some sauce alongside each portion.

MILK BRAISED PORK SHOULDER WITH SEMOLINA GNOCCHI

Steps:

• Place pork in large bowl. Mix 1 tablespoon coarse salt and cinnamon in small bowl. Sprinkle salt mixture over pork, tossing to coat evenly. Cover and chill overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Melt butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook 2 minutes, whisking often (do not allow roux to brown). Remove from heat; cover and let stand until ready to use.
• Using on/off turns, blend onion, carrot, and celery in processor until finely chopped. Cook pancetta in large ovenproof pot over medium-high heat until beginning to brown and fat is rendered, about 6 minutes. Add vegetables to pot and sauté until beginning to brown, about 6 minutes. Add pork and sauté until brown, about 7 minutes. Add wine and bring to boil, stirring up browned bits. Add milk and bring to simmer. Add tomato puree, then whisk in roux. Simmer 5 minutes, whisking occasionally.
• Cover pot. Place in oven and braise pork until very tender, about 2 hours. Uncover; let pork cool briefly. Chill pork, uncovered, until cold, then cover and chill overnight.
• Rewarm pork over low heat, stirring often. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Place 1 gnocchi square in center of each plate. Top with pork and sauce.
• An Italian bacon cured in salt; available in the refrigerated deli case of many supermarkets and at Italian markets.

SEMOLINA GNOCCHI WITH OXTAIL RAGù

Steps:

• For ragù:
• Preheat oven to 325°F. Sprinkle oxtails with salt and pepper, then flour. Heat oil in heavy wide ovenproof pot over high heat. Add oxtails; cook until brown on all sides, about 15 minutes. Transfer to bowl. Add celery, carrots, and onion to pot. Reduce heat to medium-high and sauté until vegetables brown, about 15 minutes. Add wine and tomatoes. Boil until thickened to chunky sauce, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle in garlic. Tie parsley, rosemary, and bay leaves with kitchen string and add to pot. Return oxtails to pot in single layer. Add all broth; bring to boil. Cover pot; place in oven.
• Braise oxtails until very tender, about 2 hours. Transfer oxtails to rimmed baking sheet. Using potato masher, crush juices and vegetables in pot to coarse sauce. Pull meat off oxtails and add to sauce. Season ragù with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cool, cover, and chill. Rewarm before continuing.
• For gnocchi:
• Butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Bring milk, butter, and salt to simmer in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Gradually whisk in semolina. Stir until semolina is very thick and bubbling, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat; mix in yolks, 1 at a time, then 1 cup Parmesan. Place pot over low heat and stir 2 minutes. Spread semolina in prepared dish. Cover and chill until firm, at least 2 hours and up to 2 days. Preheat oven to 475°F. Butter 15x10x2- inch glass baking dish. Using 1 3/4-inch round cutter, cut out as many semolina gnocchi as possible; arrange in prepared dish. Top with warm ragù sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan. Bake until heated through, 10 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley.

OXTAIL RAGù WITH SEMOLINA GNOCCHI

Steps:

• Ragù:
• Toss oxtails, flour, pepper, 2 Tbsp. or 1 Tbsp. salt in a large bowl until oxtails are evenly coated. Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high. Working in batches, cook oxtails in a single layer, turning occasionally, until browned all over, 15-20 minutes. Transfer oxtails to a plate as they're done.
• Cook onion, carrots, celery, garlic, and rosemary in same pot, stirring often, until vegetables are browned around edges, 10-15 minutes. Add wine, tomatoes, vinegar, and honey, stirring and scraping up browned bits; bring to a boil. Season with several generous pinches of salt and return oxtails to pot. Pour in water just to cover oxtails; bring to a gentle simmer. Partially cover and cook, reducing heat as needed to keep at a bare simmer, until meat is falling off the bone, 3-3 1/2 hours. Let cool; cover and chill at least 12 hours.
• Gnocchi and assembly:
• Line a 13x9" baking dish with parchment paper, leaving overhang on 2 sides. Bring milk, butter, and several pinches of salt to a simmer in a large saucepan over medium. Gradually whisk in semolina and cook, whisking, until very thick and bubbling, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat; add 1 cup Parmesan and whisk until smooth. Whisk in egg yolk and scrape gnocchi mixture into prepared pan; smooth top. Cover and chill until set, at least 2 hours and up to 12 hours.
• Meanwhile, remove ragù from fridge and skim fat from surface. Warm ragù over low until heated through, then transfer oxtails to a plate. Increase heat to medium and bring braising liquid to a simmer. Cook until reduced to the consistency of gravy, 5-10 minutes. Taste and season with more salt if needed. Pick meat from bones and shred into small pieces. Return meat to ragù; discard bones. Transfer 2 cups ragù to an airtight container and save for later. Cover pot; keep remaining ragù warm over low heat.
• Turn out gnocchi mixture onto a clean surface and remove parchment paper; slice into about 1" squares.
• Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium. Add half of gnocchi to skillet, arrange in a single layer, and cook, undisturbed, until browned and crisp underneath, about 3 minutes. Toss to turn and cook until other side is browned and crisp, about 2 minutes. Spoon into pot with ragù. Repeat with remaining gnocchi. Gently toss gnocchi in ragù; season with more salt if needed. Divide among bowls; top with parsley and more Parmesan.
• Do Ahead
• Ragù can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill, or freeze up to 4 weeks.

PARMESAN-CRUSTED SEMOLINA GNOCCHI

Steps:

• Whisk together semolina, milk, and salt in a 2-quart heavy saucepan and bring to a boil over moderate heat, whisking frequently. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, until very stiff, 8 to 10 minutes. Spread mixture in a lightly oiled 8-inch square nonstick baking pan and chill, uncovered, until very firm, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 450°F.
• Unmold semolina mixture by inverting pan over a cutting board and rapping pan sharply on board to release mixture. Cut mixture into 16 squares.
• Lightly brush 4 (4-ounce) gratin dishes or 1 (13- by 9-inch) baking dish with melted butter and overlap gnocchi in dishes or dish. Brush gnocchi with remaining butter and sprinkle with cheese. If using gratin dishes, transfer to a shallow baking pan. Bake in middle of oven until cheese is golden around edges, about 15 minutes. Cool in dishes or dish on a rack 5 minutes before serving.
• *Available at Italian markets, natural foods stores, and some supermarkets.

SEMOLINA GNOCCHI

Steps:

• Bring milk, coarse salt, and nutmeg to simmer in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Turn heat to very low; gradually whisk in semolina. Cook until mixture is very thick, whisking constantly, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Whisk in egg yolks, then Parmesan cheese and 2 tablespoons butter.
• Pour semolina into 13x9x2-inch baking pan; spread evenly. Cover pan tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours. DO AHEAD: Semolina can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat large rimmed baking sheet with remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Cut chilled semolina into twelve 3-inch squares. Carefully arrange semolina squares on prepared baking sheet, spacing apart. Bake gnocchi until bottoms brown, about 15 minutes.
• Available at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores and Italian markets.

BAKED SEMOLINA GNOCCHI WITH SAGE

Steps:

• 1. In a small skillet, melt the stick of butter over moderate heat. Add the chopped sage and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds; let cool. In a large saucepan, bring the milk to a simmer. Slowly add the semolina flour in a thin stream, whisking constantly. Cook over moderate heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until very thick, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs and cook over low heat for 2 minutes longer, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and stir in the salt, sage butter and 1 cup of the Parmesan cheese. Continue stirring until the dough is smooth and glossy. Pour the dough into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and refrigerate until cool and firm to the touch. Preheat the oven to 400°. Cut the gnocchi dough into 12 squares, then cut the squares in half on the diagonal to form 24 triangles. Using a spatula, transfer the triangles to a large buttered baking dish. Sprinkle with the remaining 3 tablespoons of cheese and dot with the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the gnocchi are golden. Preheat the broiler and broil 8 inches from the heat for 2 minutes, or until golden brown. Let the gnocchi stand for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with pepper and serve. Make Ahead The recipe can be prepared through Step 3 and refrigerated for up to 1 day.

GNOCCHI ROMAINE ( SEMOLINA)

Steps:

• Mix the semolina, salt and milk, place in a thick bottomed pan and stirring continously bring to the boil and simmer 5- 10 minutes until thick.
• Remove from heat, season , add the egg yolk, cheese and butter. Mix.
• while still hot, pour in a buttered tray 1 cm deep .
• When cold, cut rounds with a 5 cm round cutter.
• Place the remainind gnocchi pieces on the bottom of a buttered earthenware dish and arrange the neat rounds on top.
• Sprinkle more cheese on the gnocchi and grill the top until lightly brown.
• Serve with a nice drizzle of tomato sauce round the gnocchi.

SEMOLINA GNOCCHI

Steps:

• 1 In a medium saucepan, heat the milk and 1 cup of the water over medium heat until simmering. Stir together the remaining 1 cup water and the semolina. Scrape the mixture into the liquid. Add the salt. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring well, for 20 minutes, or until the mixture is very thick. 2 Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the butter and half of the cheese. Rapidly beat in the egg yolks with a whisk. 3 Lightly moisten a baking sheet. Pour the semolina onto the sheet and spread it to a 1/2-inch thickness with a metal spatula. Let cool, then cover and chill for one hour or up to 48 hours. 4 Place a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Butter a 13 × 9 × 2-inch baking dish. 5 Dip a 1 1/2 -inch cookie or biscuit cutter in cool water. Cut out rounds of the semolina and arrange the pieces in the prepared baking dish, overlapping slightly. 6 Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan, and drizzle it over the gnocchi. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 20 to 30 minutes or until golden brown and bubbling. Let cool 5 minutes before serving. From "1,000 Italian Recipes." Copyright 2004 by Michele Scicolone. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.