Living near Rome for a while, it was a  habit to go shopping on Saturday in the capital and eat in one of the  many cute small restaurants. Rome offers so many interesting dishes, but Gnocchi alla Romana have always been one of the favorite ones. It is a first course light that can be served with various sauces. The other great advantage is that it can be prepared in advance and therefore perfect when you invite people  for  dinner.

4 / 6 servings

1 l milk + 2 tbs. – 250g semolina flour – 100 gr. butter

2 egg yolks – 100 gr. grated parmigiano – salt – nutmeg – pepper

Bring the milk to a boil, add 1/2 of the butter , 2 pinches of salt ,pepper and nutmeg

Gradually stir in the semolina, stirring constantly to prevent lumps and keep the mixture from sticking to the pot. The mixture will become quite thick; continue cooking and stirring for about 10 minutes

Add  the rest of the butter, let it melt and remove the pot from the fire.

 Beat the yolks with 2 tbs. milk.

Add them to the semolina, together with the cheese,  and a pinch of salt.

 Mix well and spread the mixture out onto a moistened work-surface . Roll out half an inch thick ( 1 cm.)

Commonly  semolina  is let to cool for 1 hour and , using a glass, made 4 cm-wide discs.

A trick , to simplify  the preparation: arrange  a piece of parchment paper on the table, pour some of the mixture on it and form  a cylinder  of 4 cm.diameter by rolling the dough with the help of the paper.

Realize more cylinders and let them cool. 

When cold  cut  them into 1 cm slices.

In   an ovenproof dish  make 3 or 4  layers of the discs .In between each layer and on top, sprinkle melted  butter and Parmigiano .

Bake the gnocchi 15 minutes in a hot (400 F or 200 C) oven, until golden, and serve at once. 

Serve as they are or  with some tomato sauce or-if you like a stronger flavour-with  some  gorgonzola  cheese  sliced on top and melted  cooking 5 minutes in the oven .