Carmelina’s Gnocchi
"Most Sunday lunches Gnocchi would be served, and you would know to NOT wear a white shirt otherwise the napisan would get a workout!” - Marisa
Everyone needs a gnocchi recipe in their repertoire, and I have been eagerly waiting for the perfect recipe to showcase. I haven’t met too many people who don’t like gnocchi. It’s the perfect vehicle for a deliciously simple sauce and the ideal thing to cook with your family on a Sunday afternoon when a little labour in the kitchen feels like a labour of love. When I think of making gnocchi, I picture flour everywhere, sticky doughy fingers and perfect little nuggets of goodness flying across the table waiting for their graceful descent into a pot of boiling water.
This divine recipe belongs to Nonna Carmelina Primiano. When I was rolling out the gnocchi, I was wondering if she would approve of my technique. I got maybe 10 gnocchi’s in and realised very quickly that she wouldn’t. They were a little wonky, a little too skinny and mostly resembled jagged rocks. I quickly realised that this seemingly simple recipe was actually a delicate art form, only mastered after decades of making them. I soon appreciated how hard it is to make these but reassured myself that although they looked like ugly ducklings in a pond, hopefully, the effort would win me brownie points. I do have to say, despite the appearance, the end result was divine. They were light and melted in your mouth. So maybe I did get something right.
I have asked the beautiful Marisa to tell us a little about her Nonna and the exquisite food that is shared between their family.
Words from Marisa.
Nonna came to Australia in 1954 not speaking any English, she planned her wedding overseas and travelled here for a better life to marry her husband to be...
After my Nonna had three boys of her own, her first grandchild came along, which happened to be me, and obviously very spoilt!
I recall many afternoons after school we would stop in at Nonna's for afternoon tea which would consist of a biscotti and affogato, which was the norm! We would all fight over who would get the biggest biscotti!!!
Most Sunday lunches Gnocchi would be served, and you would know to NOT wear a white shirt otherwise the napisan would get a workout!
Nonno would grate the cheese fresh to sprinkle over the top as it wouldn't taste the same without it! Those were the good old days, even though we have the recipe - you can never make it as good as Nonna!!!
Nonna Carmelina’s gnocchi
Ingredients
2 eggs
3 mashed dirty potatoes
500gm Plain Flour
Pinch salt
1 cup tepid water
Method
Place flour on a clean surface and add salt.
Make a well in the centre and add cracked eggs and tepid water.
Mix moist ingredients together.
Mix through potato and knead thoroughly.
Take small amounts of kneaded pastry and roll out to a fair thickness.
Cut strips of pastry about 10-12" long then cut the lengths into inch pieces and place on gnocchi cutter and roll downwards. This will give you a very effective pattern. Or you can place pastry on a fork to give you a similar pattern. If not just leave small pastry bits as a whole and this will still work.
Cook in a pot of boiling water add salt and two drops of oil so the pasta won't stick.
Cook gently for about 5 mins or al dente.
Serve with a Bolognaise or a Pesto sauce.
Top with a tasty Italian cheese preferably pecorino or a nice parmesan cheese.
If health-conscious can substitute 500gm of Ricotta instead of potato.
Enjoy!!
