Gnocchi alla romana
Semolina gnocchi from Rome: semolina cooked in milk with butter, egg yolk and Parmigiano, cut into discs and baked until golden.
Recipe by I Want Some Food · Reviewed by the editorial kitchen.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Rest
- 1 hr
- Total
- 1 hr 55 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spice
- No chilli
- Cost
- Cheap nightUnder $8 USD · indicative, not a store price
About
Gnocchi alla romana are not potato dumplings at all. Semolina is rained into hot milk and cooked into a thick, smooth porridge, then enriched off the heat with butter, egg yolks, Parmigiano and nutmeg. It is spread 1 cm thick on a wet tray, left to set firm, and cut into rounds with a glass. The discs go overlapping like roof tiles into a buttered dish, dotted with more butter and Parmigiano, and are baked until the tops are crisp and golden. Pour the semolina in slowly while whisking, or it lumps, and cook it until it pulls away from the side of the pan. The trimmings from cutting go in the bottom of the dish, so nothing is wasted. Done is a dish of soft, creamy discs under a golden, cheesy crust with crisp brown edges.
What you'll need
7 ingredients. Tap each one once it's out on the bench.
Ingredients
Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.
Steps
Step 1
Bring the milk to a simmer with the salt, nutmeg and 20 g butter. Rain in the semolina while whisking, then switch to a wooden spoon and cook, stirring, about 10 minutes until very thick and pulling from the sides.
15 min
Step 2
Off the heat beat in the yolks one at a time, 30 g butter and 60 g Parmigiano. Spread 1 cm thick on a wet tray or baking paper, smooth with a wet spatula and leave to set at least an hour.
5 min
Step 3
Heat the oven to 220°C. Cut 5–6 cm rounds, scatter the trimmings in a buttered dish and lay the rounds over them, overlapping. Dot with the remaining butter and Parmigiano and bake 20–25 minutes until golden. Rest 5 minutes before serving.
25 min
Nutrition
Per serving · estimate
- Calories
- 473 kcal
- Protein
- 21 g
- Carbs
- 19.8 g
- Fat
- 34.9 g
- Saturated fat
- 20.7 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 14.7 g
- Sodium
- 1016 mg
Calculated from canonical ingredient data (USDA FoodData Central averages and equivalent published tables). Estimates only.
Allergens
Informational only. Not a medical guarantee. Cross-contamination happens in real kitchens.
- Wheat
- Milk
- Eggs
- Vegetarian
Vegetarian only with a vegetarian Parmigiano Reggiano: the traditional cheese is made with animal rennet.
Adapt this recipe
The original recipe stays as it is. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are simple maths.
Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 10 November.
Substitutions
Parmigiano → Grana Padano
Milder and a little cheaper; works the same.
Tips
- Wet the glass between cuts so the discs come away cleanly.
- Assemble the dish a day ahead and bake it straight from the fridge, adding 5 minutes.
History & culture
They are home cooking more than restaurant food: made the day before, baked when the family sits down, and served as a first course or alongside a Sunday roast. Children love them, and across central and northern Italy they are one of the first dishes people learn to make.
Semolina gnocchi appear in Italian cookbooks in the nineteenth century under the name 'alla romana', though Rome's older gnocchi were made of flour and water. Some food historians think the dish came from Piedmont or the Savoy court and took the Roman name later. Romans themselves sometimes point north, but the name has stuck.
Traditional — Semolina, milk, butter, egg yolk, Parmigiano and nutmeg, baked. No tomato sauce.
Provenance: Editorial adaptation.
Questions about this recipe
Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips.
How long does Gnocchi alla romana take?
1 hr 55 min all in — 15 min prep, 40 min cook, 1 hr rest. Cook and rest follow the method. Leftover storage and optional extra waits are not included.
How many does it serve?
The recipe is written for 4 portions. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.
How hard is it?
Easy.
How spicy is it?
No chilli.
What allergens should I watch?
This recipe is labelled for Wheat, Milk, Eggs. Labels are informational — check the packets in your kitchen. This is not medical advice.
Does it fit a diet?
The published recipe is labelled Vegetarian.
7 more questionsFewer questions
What does it cost to cook?
Cheap night — about Under $8 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.
What equipment do I need?
Saucepan, Baking tray, Oven.
How much salt do I put in?
The recipe lists Salt at 1 tsp.
What can I use instead?
Parmigiano → Grana Padano. Milder and a little cheaper; works the same.
Any tips from this recipe?
Wet the glass between cuts so the discs come away cleanly. Assemble the dish a day ahead and bake it straight from the fridge, adding 5 minutes.
Can I prepare this ahead?
Assemble the dish a day ahead and bake it straight from the fridge, adding 5 minutes.
Can I use an air fryer?
This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.
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