Although the classic recipe for gnocchi alla romana, or semolina gnocchi, calls for just butter, you can change it up and cover the gnocchi with tomato sauce or mushrooms. This dish from Lazio is ideal for any occasion, from a dinner with friends to Sunday lunch with the family.
This recipe contains corn flour instead of semolina and is enriched with the intense flavor of black cabbage. This leafy green features prominently in many traditional Tuscan winter dishes, and if necessary, you can substitute it with spinach.
Roman-style polenta gnocchi with black cabbage
Ingredients for 4
1 cup corn flour for polenta
1½ cups soy or rice milk
2 black cabbage leaves, chopped
4 oz. cherry tomatoes, halved
½ oz nutritional yeast flakes
extra-virgin olive oil
salt
pepper
nutmeg
Method
Boil milk in a thick-bottomed saucepan, add salt, and slowly add the corn flour, whisking continuously to prevent any lumps from forming.
When the flour has absorbed all the milk, continue stirring with a large wooden spoon for at least 50 minutes.
In the meantime, saute the cabbage leaves with 2 Tbsp. oil and a pinch of salt.
A few minutes before the mixture finishes cooking, add the yeast, nutmeg, pepper, and cabbage leaves.
Grease a rectangular baking pan with oil and cover with parchment paper. Pour in the corn flour mixture, and let cool. Before it cools completely, place the tomatoes on top, letting them sink into the mixture.
Once completely cooled, cut little squares and saute the gnocchi in a pan with extra-virgin olive oil.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Drizzle extra-virgin olive oil over the gnocchi and place in the oven for around 20 minutes.