Gnocchi Italian Dumplings: The Alt-Pasta

While you may be a die-hard pasta lover, you’ve probably tried the Italian dumplings called gnocchi which is served similar to a pasta but with a bit of twist. Gnocchi in Italian cuisine falls under the category of alt-pastas.

Gnocchi is a variety of dumpling having a fluffy and light consistency. They are small lumps of dough made from a mixture of semolina flour, egg, wheat flour, potato, breadcrumbs, cheese and cornmeal. Some include other ingredients such as herbs and vegetables. Once the dough is ready, it is then rolled out and cut into tiny pieces to make dumplings. The indentations or ridges in the dumplings are created by pressing with a fork or a cheese grater.

Chefs usually incorporate flour in cooked potatoes to make the bitesize dumplings light, airy, and fluffy. The dumplings are then boiled until they look like shells.

How to Have Your Gnocchi

Gnocchi are normally served as a first course. However, they can also be eaten as a side dish alongside the main course. There are various flavors of sauces and toppings added to a gnocchi dish, including cream, pesto, cheese, and tomato sauce, similar to pastas. Even though gnocchi originated in Italy, you will find other variations of gnocchi in Croatia, France, and South America.