Feb

9

Potato buckwheat gnocchi with speck

February 9, 2010 | 1 Comment

It’s carnevale and while every pastry store is serving frittelle and crostoli, we in Verona also have the tradition of eating potato gnocchi. A tradition that culminates on Venerdì Gnocolar* that this year will fall on February 12nd and the parade with its allegorical floats and Papà del Gnocco, the main character of our carnival. As usual we all gather at my parents house to enjoy numerous courses of gnocchi served with different sauces. The end of the meal is always gladdened with carnival sweets such as frittelle, crostoli, favette and creme fritte**. We then spend the rest of the afternoon watching the parade passing by.

This dish is not what we usually serve on Venerdì gnocolar, but when I ran across this recipe on l’Accademia della cucina Italiana, I couldn’t resist and I tried it the next day. I was not disappointed by the results. The gnocchi have a hearty and rustic flavor enhanced and complemented by the Speck. The thyme gives a fresh touch to the preparation.
These gnocchi are slightly firmer than the classic potato gnocchi and can be easily mixed in the pan without becoming mushy. Don’t be intimidated by making gnocchi, they’re easy to prepare just follow my instructions. If you like to see pictures just check my basic potato gnocchi recipe. When ready, gnocchi should be cooked within two hours and they are best kept in the refrigerator while waiting to be cooked. If you don’t want to cook them right away they can be frozen. First place the plate in the freezer for about one hour or until the gnocchi are frozen, then fill a freezer bag and store them in the freezer.  When you decide to cook them just add them to the boiling water while still frozen.

Potato buckwheat gnocchi with speck

Ingredients:

For the gnocchi:
2 lbs – 2 oz. whole baking potatoes
1 1/2 cups buckwheat flour
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
pinch of salt

For condiment:
7 oz. Speck cut in thick slices, about 1/4 inches or prosciutto (cured ham)***
3-4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Preparation:

Boil the potatoes whole with the skin in salted water until cooked.
Once cooked drain the potatoes and then peel them being careful not to burn yourself.
Pass the potatoes through a potato ricer and into a bowl.
Add the 2 flours previously sifted together.
Mix until you have a nice pliable ball of dough.
Prepare a work area and dust it with all purpose flour.
Take the dough, a piece at a time, and roll it out with your hands until you have rolls about 3/4 inch in diameter.
Cut the tubes of dough into pieces about one inch long. if they are a little bit sticky, sprinkle them lightly with some flour.
With a fork, holding the tines against the work surface, use your finger to press a piece of dough gently against the fork, and roll it slightly then letting it fall to the table.
The result should be gnocchi with an indent on one side from your finger and a pattern on the other side from the fork.
Handle the gnocchi carefully so they don’t loose their shape. Place them on a lightly floured plates. Keep them apart so they don’t touch one another or they’ll stick together.
Heat the butter and oil to a low medium temperature then add the cubed speck and cook it for 3-5 minutes until slightly golden. Don’t over cook it otherwise cubes will become tough.
Bring a big pot of water to a boil and then add the gnocchi carefully a plate or two at a time. When they float to the surface they are ready. Remove them with a slotted spoon, set them in a strainer to drain off the excess water and put them in the pan with the speck.
Mix the gnocchi gently and pour them in a warmed serving bowl. Sprinkle them with chopped thyme and serve immediately.

Notes:

* For more info on Venerdì gnocolar and carnival in Verona view my last’s year post.
** If you wish to try some carnival sweets, visit Cooking with Patty where I gathered them together with all my gnocchi dishes on the home page.
*** If you’re using prosciutto crudo (cured ham), add a pinch of black pepper.

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Comments

1 Comment so far

  1. caroline on February 10, 2010 1:48 pm

    great
    site thank you’
    caroline

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