Chef Curtis Gamble invited TABLE Magazine to spend a day in his kitchen with simple recipes and springtime flavors. He had our full attention with this first delicate and delicious plate. “I look for ways to be reductive,” Curtis says, explaning his keep it simple ethos. “Limiting myself to a certain ingredient or idea leads to creativity with texture, salt, fat, and acid. Allowing space and room for flavor to breath is a skill.” In a dish like Gnocchi alla Romana with Pesto Genovese, it would be easy for the heaviness of pasta to overtake the dish. We will never forget these gnocchi, with their earthy crispiness playing off of the vivid, garlicky sauce, or any of Chef Gamble’s veggie-forward dishes.
What Makes This Gnocchi “alla Romana”?
There are many different kinds of gnocchi, depending on the grain. What makes this gnocchi Roman-style is that it uses semolina, milk, and cheese, giving it a uniquely filling texture and flavor. However, Curtis paired it with a Northern Italian condiment, the classic Pesto Genovese recipe from the city of Genoa. That results in the combination dish of Gnocchi alla Romana with Pesto Genovese.
Gnocchi alla Romana with Pesto Genovese
Description
A delicious pasta dish.
Ingredients
For the gnocchi:
- 1 qt whole milk
- 7 g salt
- Pinch of pepper
- 7 oz semolina flour
- 2 whole eggs
- 2 oz Parmesan grana, shredded
For the pesto:
- 50 g garlic
- 100 g basil
- 110 g Parmasen
- 150 g extra virgin olive oil
- 20 g sunflower seeds
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
For the gnocchi:
- Bring milk, salt, and pepper to a high simmer, almost to a boil. Using a hand-held sifter, sift in semolina and whisk while doing so.
- This prevents clumping and promotes even cooking of the semolina. Once all is incorporated, continue to cook briefly until starch is cooked through (it will begin to pull away from the pot and won’t be starchy in the mouth).
- Turn off heat, beat in 1 egg at a time, fold in cheese at the end. Pour into an 8 x 8 baking dish sprayed with nonstick spray and press into an even layer. Cool in the refrigerator. When cool, cut it into inch by inch squares.
For the pesto:
- Combine all ingredients in a food processor.
- Pulse to combine.
To finish:
- Warm a pot of oil to 350 degrees and fry gnocchi until they are golden brown, and then lift with a slotted strainer onto some paper towels to dry, adding salt and pepper.
- In a bowl, add 2 tablespoons pesto and toss gnocchi, salt, extra parm, and a touch of EVOO. Serve immediately.
Recipe by Chef Curtis Gamble
Styling by Keith Recker
Photography by Dave Bryce
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