Gnocchi is an everyday treat for Italians, but remains one of the lesser-known entries in one of the world’s most popular culinary traditions. In this post, we tell you who first published the recipe for gnocchi, along with other interesting details about this Italian classic.
What Is Gnocchi?
Gnocchi are small dumplings made with flour and potatoes, cooked, and served with tomato sauce, pesto, or butter.
In Italy, gnocchi are the quintessential homemade dish. For example, an outdated tradition dictated that Italian households should prepare gnocchi every Thursday. This hearty dish was supposed to provide the nutrients and energy for a busy weekend.
Nowadays, gnocchi are popular all over Italy. Almost every region of the country has its own version of gnocchi, from Venetian potato gnocchi to Roman gnocchi made with semolina.
Who Invented Gnocchi?
No doubt, this is a delicious story. But who invented gnocchi?
As is the case with most popular dishes, we don’t know for sure who invented gnocchi.
We know, however, that the recipe for gnocchi first appeared in the 1500s, during the renaissance, when it was published by two of the most famous cooks of the time, Cristoforo da Messisbugo and Bartolomeo Scappi
The original recipe for gnocchi diverged from the one commonly used in Italy these days. For example, this first version of gnocchi called for the addition of breadcrumbs to the mix. Over time, this ingredient was excluded, although some regional variations of gnocchi still use it.
On the other hand, some aspects remain. For example, gnocchi bear signature grooves which are made by pressing a fork against the gnocchi while they’re still fresh. The original gnocchi had grooves as well, but they were added by pressing the gnocchi against a grater, a custom that some people in Italy still observe.
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