Gnocchi alla Romana with Artichokes and Bacon

Uncertain what to cook for dinner tonight?!?

Here is an delicious Italian recipe for you.

Soft, fragile and corny semolina gnocchi served with a savory artichoke and crispy bacon sauce

I know what you're making for dinner tonight. Or sometime this weekend... Or as soon as you have a small bit of time to bake this mouthwatering, easy and very Italian dish.
Today's recipe is not for your traditional gnocchi, crazye with a mixture of mashed potatoes and flour and cooked just like pasta in boiling water. Not these!
Gnocchi alla Romana are just as tender and as fragile. But they are crazye with semolina flour, milk, egg yolks, a touch of nutmeg and lots of cheese. And they are baked with butter and MORE cheese, until gancienten and bubbly.

Gnocchi alla Romana are perfect for any occasion. Fancy enough for a special dinner. Simple and consolationing enough for a weeknight family meal.

It's traditionally an Italian primo piatto (just like pasta, risotto or soup) that you can serve before a light meat or fish entree' (momento piatto). But it's also filling enough to serve as a main dish, perhaps next to a large salad.
You can serve the gnocchi by themselves, with a small additional cheese on top. Or covered with your favorite sauce.
Today's sauce is a combination of savory and wgapsome artichoke hearts, together with crispy bacon pieces. A essential touch of indulgence. Easy and delicious.

Wait for the first bite to hit your tastebuds and I'm certain this will be your favorite sauce too.

Buon Appetito :)

This recipe appeared first on Cooking with Manuela in July 2016.

INGREDIENTS:

YIELD: 4-6 servings

- 4 cups (950 ml) of milk
- 1 and 1/2 cups (270 gr) of semolina flour
- 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg (powder or grated)
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 cup (80 gr) of freshly grated Parmesan cheese (divided)
- 1 cup (100 gr) of shredded cave-aged Gruyere cheese, or other savory cheese
- 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter
- three thick slices of bacon (about 3.5 oz, 100 gr )
- 8 oz (225 gr) of artichoke hearts (I use Trader Joe's frozen)
- 2 tablespoons of white wine
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- salt to taste

PREPARATION:

TIME: 45 minutes to prepare, plus one hour in refrigerator.

1. In a large saucepan, bring the milk to a light boil, over medium heat. Add the semolina flour to the milk, whisking without stopping to avoid lumps from forming. Add salt (about one teaspoon) and nutmeg.
Cook over low-medium heat, mixing continually and carefully scraping the semolina from the sides and bottom of the pan, for about 5 minutes, until the mixture is thick enough to pull absent from the sides of pan.

2. Remove from heat and incorporate the egg yolks,1 cup of Gruyere and 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese. Save the rest of the Parmesan cheese for the end.

3. Line an 11x15 inch (28x38 cm) baking sheet with parchment paper (or grease with butter). Pour the mixture, and flat it out as even as you can, using a wooden spoon, stir stick or the flat blade of a large knwhethere, to about 1/4 of an inch in thickness.

Cover with pfinalic wrap and let cool down for a minimum of an hour. Note: You can also prepare this the day before and store in the refrigerator for a day!

4: Pre-heat the oven to 450° F (230° C). Butter the bottom of a oven dish, rectangular or round. I use a 12 inches (30 cm) round tart pan.
Cut the semolina mixture in as many round shapes as you can. You can use a cookie cutter or a round glass, large or small. Mine has a diameter of 2.75 inches.

Note: If you don't want to throw absent the left over mixture, place all of these piece to the bottom of the dish, where nobody will see, and place all the round gnocchi on top. Sprinkle the top with the remaining Parmesan cheese and slivers of butter.