Gnocchi alla Piemontese

Gnocchi alla Piemontese is a rich and flavorful dish typical of the Piedmont region in Italy. These gnocchi are made with potatoes and are enriched with a sauce made of butter and sage or with a meat dressing, such as stew. Here I offer you a classic version of Gnocchi alla Piemontese with a butter and sage sauce.

Ingredients

• 1 kg of starchy potatoes
• 300 g of type 00 flour
• 1 egg
• Salt to taste
• 100 g of butter
• A few leaves of fresh sage
• grated Parmesan cheese to taste

Preparation

1. Start by boiling the potatoes until they become soft. Drain them, peel them, and mash them with a potato masher, collecting the mash on a work surface.
2. Add a pinch of salt to the mash and let it cool down. Then, incorporate the egg and start to knead, gradually adding the flour until you obtain a smooth and homogeneous dough.
3. Divide the dough into pieces and roll each one into long, thin cylinders. Cut the cylinders into small pieces to form the gnocchi.
4. Roll each gnocco on a fork or on the typical ridged gnocchi board to give them their characteristic ridged shape.
5. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the gnocchi in boiling water until they float to the top, then drain them with a slotted spoon.
6. In the meantime, melt the butter in a pan and add the sage leaves. Let it flavor for a few minutes without burning the butter.
7. Add the drained gnocchi to the butter with the sage and toss briefly to evenly coat.
8. Serve the gnocchi hot, finishing with abundant grated Parmesan cheese.

Curiosities

Gnocchi have a long history in Italy, and each region has its own variant. The Piedmontese one is distinguished by the simplicity of the seasoning that enhances the flavor of the potatoes. In the past, this dish was considered “poor man’s food,” but today it is a classic appreciated for its comforting goodness.