Classic Gnocchi alla Romana

Gnocchi alla Romana is a classic Italian comfort food dish from Rome. Soft and buttery semolina gnocchi are baked until deliciously crispy on the outside with a comforting, creamy middle. Makes the solid side dish and is ready in under 1 hour.

Quick recipe snapshot

• Flavour – cheesy, buttery gnocchi with a hint of nutmeg.
• Texture – soft and creamy inside with a crispy top layer.
• Suited to – prepping ahead so all you have to do is slice and bake.
• Serve with – makes the solid side dish to roast meats or a hearty ragu.

This traditional Roman recipe is different from what most people will know as 'gnocchi'. Instead of potatoes, Gnocchi alla Romana are made from semolina.

The semolina is mixed with hot milk, butter and cheese to create a good, flavourful dough that's rolled into logs to set, then sliced and baked…with more butter and cheese of course.

This dish is so unbelievably comforting and easy to make. See our serving suggestions below for the many good ways to serve them. Enjoy!

Ingredient notes

• Fine semolina – This is not the same as Semola Rimacinata, which is so finely ground it has the texture of flour and isn't suitable for this recipe. You want to use fine semolina where you can still see the grains.
• Butter – use unsalted butter so you can adjust the amount of salt added.
• Milk – full-fat (whole) milk is recommended for extra flavour and a creamier texture.
• Nutmeg – We love the addition of nutmeg, but you can leave it out if you don't have it.
• Cheese – A mix of Pecorino and Parmigiano is used, but to keep costs down, you can choose one if you prefer.

Visual walk-through of the recipe

Step 1 – bring the milk, butter, salt and nutmeg to a boil. Turn it down low, then gradually add in the semolina whilst whisking (photos 1 and 2).

Step 2 – Once thickened (see photo 3) take the pot off the heat and add the cheese. Stir it in until melted, then quickly add the yolks, stirring them in until combined (you need to be fast so they don't scramble) (photo 4).

Step 3 – Tip half of the mixture onto a sheet of baking parchment and roll it into a long log, twisting the ends of the paper to secure it (you want to do this when the gnocchi dough is still hot). Repeat with the second half, then leave them to cool completely before refrigerating (photos 5-8).

Step 4 – Once set, cut each log into discs (gnocchi) and place them in a buttered baking dish. Top with melted butter and more cheese, and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Switch to the broiler/grill for 5 minutes, until crispy and golden (photos 9-12).

Recipe tips and FAQs

Alternative shaping option – some recipes spread the semolina dough out into a baking tray, let it set, then cut out the gnocchi using a cookie cutter. Although this is fine to do, we find there are no off-cuts or waste by shaping them into logs, which we prefer (choose a method that's easiest for you).

Can we prep this in advance?

Yes, you can prep the dough and roll it into logs up to 2-3 days in advance, then slice and bake them as needed.

Can we freeze them?

Yes, you can freeze the gnocchi for 3-6 months. defrost completely before baking.

Serving suggestions

• Tomato sauce – as a light meal or starter, you can serve the gnocchi with a good Italian tomato sauce. It's simple and easy.
• Bechamel sauce – drizzle over Italian besciamella sauce and top with any cheese you like (gorgonzola would be good) and bake until golden.
• Ragu – one of our favourite ways to serve them is with ragu, whether it's a hearty Ragu alla Napoletana with ribs and sausages, a pulled ragu like our Beef Rib and Porcini Ragu or a simple and Classic Beef Ragu (a reader favourite).
• Roast meats – this is a great alternative to potatoes when serving roast meats such as our Lemon Roast ChickenMarsala Roast Beef or Italian Roast Pork Loin (Amalfi Lemon, Fennel & White Wine) All of these are good options.

More gnocchi recipes to try

Gnocchi

Gnocchi alla Sorrentina

Gnocchi

Strangolapreti (Bread and Spinach Dumplings)

Gnocchi

Arugula Pesto Gnocchi with Burrata and Pancetta

Gnocchi

Spicy Sausage Baked Gnocchi

Ingredients

Makes 35 gnocchi (see notes)

• 290 g (1 and 3/4 cups) fine semolina ((see notes))
• 1185 ml (5 cups) whole milk
• 50 g (3 1/2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, (plus extra for greasing)
• 60 g (1 cup) Pecorino Romano (finely grated)
• 60 g (1 cup) Parmigiano Reggiano (finely grated)
• 1 pinch ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• 2 egg yolks (we used golden yolks for added colour)

For topping

• 70 g (5 tablespoons) unsalted butter
• Extra Parmigiano or Pecorino for topping

Equipment

• Baking parchment
• Baking dish

Method

1. Grate the cheese and set aside.

2. Add the milk,butter, a pinch of nutmeg and a teaspoon of salt to a boil in a large pot. Once boiling, turn down low and gradually add the semolina whilst whisking to avoid any lumps.

3. Keep whisking until the mixture turns very thick. Remove the pot from the heat and add the cheese, stirring it until melted with a wooden spoon. Next, very quickly add the eggs yolks and stir them in until combined.

4. Spoon half of the mixture on a large sheet of baking parchment and use the sides of the parchment to shape and roll the semolina into a long log. Wrap it up and twist the ends to secure it.

5. Repeat this process with the second half of the gnocchi dough. Let the logs cool completely, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until you need them (up to 2 days in advance).

6. Pre-heat the oven to 200℃/400F℉ Melt the butter in a pan and allow to cool slightly.

7. Grease your baking dish well with butter, then slice the logs into discs (around1.5cm or ¾ of an inch). Lay them in the baking dish slightly on top of each other, then drizzle over the melted butter. Grate over some extra cheese (pecorino or parmigiano) and bake in the oven for 20 minutes, then switch to the grill/broiler for 5 minutes to get extra crispy on top.

Kitchen notes

• Note on semolina finely ground semolina is best for this recipe, but don't confuse it with Semola Rimacinata, which is so finely ground it has the texture of flour and is not suitable for this recipe.
• Serving size this recipe makes around 35 gnocchi, which will serve around 6-8 people as a size dish or 4-6 as a main dish.
• Eggs we like to use golden yolks to give the gnocchi a rich colour, but it's not necessary if you don't have them.