Gnocchi alla Romana

Generality

When we talk about "gnocchi" without specifying the type, it is understood that, in the national gastronomic language, these are the classic potato gnocchi. However, even semolina ones, referred to as "gnocchi alla romana", represent a solid leader of the typical Italian culinary tradition.

The gnocchi alla romana are a first course characteristic of the Lazio cuisine; they are obtained from a cooked mixture of semolina, milk, eggs, flavorings, salt and butter. Usually, they are seasoned in a rather full-bodied way and subjected to grilling in an oven or salamander.

Their energy intake is much higher than the classic potato dumplings; those in the Roman style bring significant amounts of carbohydrates, but also the portion of lipids and cholesterol - which largely depends on the nature of the accompanying sauce - is often generous. The portion of those seasoned should be contained and, in the case of metabolic and / or overweight diseases, it is better to exclude them completely from the diet.

On the other hand, the recipe for Roman-style gnocchi can also be modified or adapted to improve its nutritional characteristics; below, thanks to Alice (our personalcoocker), we will understand how to achieve this goal.

Ingredients

Semolina for Roman-style gnocchi

The flour used for gnocchi alla romana is called semolino. It is a flour (improper term) of durum wheat, yellowish in color and of coarse consistency; it is therefore a completely different product compared to the flour generally used for potato gnocchi (type 00 of soft wheat). Although it contains gluten, the semolina granules are quite thick and the relative physical characteristics are totally different compared to the white bakery flour (which is more "gluey", fine and thickening).

Milk for Roman-style gnocchi

The milk used is generally of animal type (milk proper), more precisely of cow. The choice of the whole one, partially, or totally skimmed is subjective, as the fat component is mainly supplied by the butter (see below). The milk storage technology (pasteurized, UHT, microfiltered or raw) does not affect the finished product.

To be sure, the choice of the animal of origin is unconstrained; in addition to the cow's milk, sheep's milk, goat's milk, buffalo milk, donkey's milk, mare's milk etc. can also be used. It is different for vegetable milks; of soy, rice, oats etc., as they do not have the same organoleptic and gustatory effect (although they represent a valid alternative for vegan Roman gnocchi). Obviously, the latter variable (type of animal milk or choice of vegetable milk) can significantly change the sensory characteristics of gnocchi alla romana, giving, depending on the type, hints of hay, other forages, etc.

Skimmed cow's milk tends to counteract the coloring effect of the eggs.

Eggs for gnocchi alla romana

The same applies to milk. Normally, medium-sized and absolutely PRIVATE chicken eggs are used. The latter would favor the excessive compactness of the dough (due to the massive presence of heat-curing albumins), which would tend to gelatinize. On the contrary, the yolk helps to emulsify the mixture of lipids and water (thanks to lecithins) without giving excessive solidity (instead regulated mainly by: water, starch and gluten); the yolks also have a remarkable coloring function, thanks to the content in retinol equivalent (vit. A).

NB . It is also possible to use egg yolks of turkey, goose, duck, quail, ostrich, etc., as long as you keep in mind that the average hen weighs about 15-20g.

Butter for Roman gnocchi

Butter acts as a seasoning fat. It has the function of giving fragrance and softness without compromising the compactness of the gnocchi.

Wanting to produce a totally vegan recipe, besides preferring a vegetable milk, it will also be necessary to choose an oil rather than butter; margarine is best avoided due to the presence of hydrogenated fatty acids or lipids of tropical origin.

Spices and salt for Roman-style gnocchi

The only aromas useful in the formulation of gnocchi alla romana are grated nutmeg and finely ground pepper, in doses useful to satisfy personal taste (as well as cooking salt).

Roman gnocchi process

The procedure for gnocchi alla romana (NOT vegan) is quite simple; first, in a saucepan, heat the milk with the butter, the herbs and the salt. Then, at the maximum temperature that the milk can withstand without "cooking and coming out of the pan", add the semolina a little at a time (perhaps using a sieve) and mix it with a whisk. At the end of the incorporation, lower the heat and, with a spoon, stir periodically for about 20 '. Then, pull down from the stove and pour into a bowl; add the raw egg yolks and the Parmesan cheese stirring frantically to avoid cooking. With the help of a long and greasy or wet spatula, flatten the mixture (about 1-3cm thick) on a smooth and greasy surface; when the mixture is cold, with a greased or moist cup, cut some disks.

At this point, the Roman-style gnocchi are ready to season. Distribute them partially overlapped in a greased baking dish and season them (ragù, béchamel, tomato etc.), parmesan and flaked butter; then, brown them in the oven (grill: 180-220 ° C for a quarter of an hour) or in salamander.

Nutritional Features

Composition for: 100g of Roman Gnocchi (Without Condiment)

Nutritional values (per 100 g of edible portion)

Edible part				100%
water				64.1g
Protein				7.2g
	Prevailing amino acids			-
	Limiting amino acid			-
Lipids TOT				8.6g
		Saturated fatty acids		5.27g
		Monounsaturated fatty acids		2.75G
		Polyunsaturated fatty acids		0.55g
		Cholesterol		85.0mg
TOT Carbohydrates				18.0g
		Starch		14.8g
		Soluble sugars		3.2g
Ethyl alcohol				0.0g
Dietary fiber				0.8g
			Soluble fiber	0.0g
			Insoluble fiber	0.0g
Power				173.7kcal
Sodium				- mg
Potassium				- mg
Iron				0.5mg
Football				147.6mg
Phosphorus				143.0mg
Thiamine				0.09mg
Riboflavin				0.18mg
Niacin				0.74mg
Vitamin A (RAE)				86.6μg
C vitamin				0.65mg
Vitamin E				0.31mg

Below we will mention the chemical and metabolic characteristics of the classic Roman gnocchi WITHOUT seasoning!

The gnocchi alla romana are certainly NOT a low calorie food (they provide the same energy as cooked semolina pasta), even if a good part of the lipids that make up the original recipe could be easily avoided (without butter and with the total skimming of the milk)! The fatty acids that make up the traditional Roman gnocchi are mostly saturated and the portion of cholesterol is not negligible.

Most calories are supplied by lipids, but polysaccharides (starch) are also of primary importance. A small part of disaccharides is provided by milk (lactose), while the fibers are present but not in high doses.

The proteins are contained in small quantities and of a promiscuous biological value (medium of semolina and high of milk).

With regard to vitamins, good concentrations of retinol equivalents (vit. A) and riboflavin (vit. B2) are observed; with regard to mineral salts, on the other hand, the only concentrations worthy of note are those of calcium and phosphorus. Obviously, also containing Parmesan cheese or parmesan, better to reduce the proportion of discretionary salt (the added one) to avoid exceeding the portion of sodium.

The traditional Roman-style gnocchi are NOT a suitable food for the hypercholesterolemic subject's diet and, in large portions, do not even lend themselves to that of the type 2 diabetic, of the hypertriglyceridemic and of the obese.

The average portion of gnocchi alla Romana WITHOUT SEASONING could oscillate between 150 and 250g (260-430kcal).

Roman gnocchi Light - Alice's Video Recipes

What's boiling today in the kitchen of MypersonaltrainerTv?

Delicious "light" Roman gnocchi flavored with a sprinkling of parmesan and a veil of butter cover, the right necessary to enhance the flavors of the original recipe without dramatically increasing the intake of saturated fats.