Let’s face it, they don’t look like the bite-sized, curled-up potato dumplings we call gnocchi. Crispy on the outside and soft inside, baked semolina gnocchi (gnocchi alla Romana) look more like polenta. But there’s no corn, just durum wheat semolina—a creamy, dreamy ingredient famous for making the tastiest pasta. Chewy, slightly sweet, and with umami-rich Parmesan or Romano, baked semolina gnocchi nails it as an app, side dish, or comfort-food main course.
Our friend and cooking inspiration Joanne Hults (of Steamed Chinese Buns and Montreal Slaw) delighted us with this classic years ago. Since the dish goes back to ancient Rome, variations show up all over the web. While I wouldn’t mess with Joanne’s great recipe, I did change the shaping method. Instead of pouring the dough into a pan, refrigerating it, and then cutting it into squares, I used famous chef Yotam Ottolenghi’s trick. He forms the dough into a roll and slices it like refrigerator cookies. The edges aren’t as neat, but this method saves washing a pan and the round disks overlap nicely.
Where to find coarse semolina
You can find semolina flour, the milled version of semolina for making pasta and breads, all over the place. But coarse semolina—the gritty stuff that keeps pizza dough from sticking—doesn’t even make it to the shelves of our Whole Foods. And it’s the coarse semolina that gives this dish the right chew.
So I turned to our local Indian store. They sell sooji, exactly the coarse semolina we need. When the owner asked me what I planned to make, I described the cheesy dish. He said he uses it to make dessert. So now we know, this tasty protein-rich grain spans both the savory and sweet universes.
In a pinch, you can use semolina flour—you’ll get that same famous flavor and a bit of chew. But a visit to your local Indian grocery is always worth it. You can pick up some spices while you’re there.
Baked Semolina Gnocchi (Gnocchi alla Romana)
Special thanks to Joanne Hults
- 1 quart milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups semolina (or coarse sooji from Indian store)
- 2 egg yolks, beaten
- 2 cups (or to taste) finely grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
- Butter (for baking dish)
- 4 tablespoons butter, room temperature
- Ground black pepper
- In a heavy saucepan, combine milk and salt, and heat until it starts to simmer. Lower heat and drizzle in semolina, stirring vigorously with a whisk until thickened, only about 5 minutes. It will thicken quickly—so keep stirring and maintain low heat so it doesn’t burn.
- Once it has thickened, stir constantly for another 2 minutes or so, until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan.
- Remove pan from heat and let sit 10 minutes.
- With a wooden spoon, stir in beaten yolks and 1 cup of the cheese.
- Cut two pieces of plastic wrap, each about 20 inches long. Spoon half of the mixture onto each piece. Form into two rolls, each about 1½ inches wide and 15 inches long. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, until set.
- Set oven to 400°. Butter a large, shallow baking dish.
- Remove plastic wrap and cut each roll into ½-inch slices (like thick refrigerator cookies). If they get lopsided, reshape into disks, using your fingers. Arrange disks in rows that overlap slightly in the baking dish. If it all won’t fit in the dish, wrap up the extra and freeze it to use later.
- Dot the gnocchi with 4 tablespoons butter, grind on plenty of pepper, and sprinkle with remaining cheese (or however much you want). Bake until hot and cheese turns golden, about 25-35 minutes.
