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Gnocchi are a type of Italian dumpling traditionally made from durum wheat flour and a potato. These are naturally called potato gnocchi. Variations include gnocchi made with flour and ricotta cheese, with flour and a kind of squash similar to a pumpkin (zucca), or from flour only. Innovative chefs sometimes use sweet potatoes to make their gnocchi, others add spinach to the recipe.
In the Italian language a gnoccho is a knuckle on one’s hand.
Gnocchi are typically listed among pasta dishes (called a “primo” in Italian) because they are so often served with pasta sauces. However, since many types of gnocchi have different ingredients and modes of preparation than traditional semolina Italian pasta, some authors prefer not to classify the dish as a type of pasta. Most gnocchi cook faster than normal pasta and can fall apart if overcooked.
Gnocchi can be made at home or purchased dried, frozen, or fresh in vacuum sealed packages. Although they freeze well the fresh ones are generally considered to be superior. Both in Italy and the United States, many people buy their gnocchi premade, which are cooked just like the freshly made product. The classic accompaniments of gnocchi are a tomato sauce, a brown butter and sage sauce, pesto or melted butter and cheese.
In the Veneto Region of Italy gnocchi are often served with butter and then garnished with sage (salvia) or poppy seeds.
In the central portion of Italy, specifically in the Marche, Molise, and Abruzzo Regions, gnocchi are often served with a red sauce similar to amatriciana. A pleasant gnocchi dish is served by the residents of Valle San Giovanni near Teramo. Each year guests at Villa Casale enjoy a large dinner with gnocchi being the first course which is then followed by a second course such as braciola or mazzarelle. Some guests prefer fettucine or scrippelle. Vinocotto might served for dessert.
A well know restaurant on Passyunk Avenue in Philiadelpha goes by the name Gnocchi.
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