Roman Style Gnocchi with Point Reyes TomaTruffle
Created by Chef Gayle Pirie
Makes 6 Servings
All the Tomas work for this gnocchi, but for a perfumed and delicate flavor, the addition of the truffled version adds that depth of flavor without buying a truffle. Grated Toma on top provides caramelized developed flavor. For this recipe you need a small ¼ sheet pan to pour the gnocchi batter on to cool, and a large baking dish, or individual ramekins for serving.
4 cups whole or low-fat milk
7/8 cup (110 g) semolina flour
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg, or more to taste
2 large eggs
1 cup (85 g) freshly grated Point Reyes TomaTruffle
¾ cup (60 g) butter, cut into small pieces
1 small bunch of picked sage leaves (about 12 leaves), finely chopped
½ cup grated Point Reyes Toma for baking
½ cup softened butter
In a 4-quart heavy-duty pan, bring milk to a simmer, over medium high heat, without achieving a hard boil. Whisk milk until frothy, reduce heat to medium, and slowly whisk in the semolina, vigorously, and thoroughly to prevent clumping. Once semolina-milk mixture is thickened and looks smooth, about 3 to 4 minutes, add salt, freshly grated nutmeg. Reduce heat to low, and add the eggs one at a time, whisking until each egg is completely incorporated, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the butter and the sage leaves. Cook the mixture until the batter takes on a supple sheen, and pulls away from the sides of the pan. Add the grated TomaTruffle cheese, stirring, and once the cheese is incorporated, pour the mixture onto a ¼ sheet pan. You should get a depth of 1-inch thickness. Use a spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of pan onto the sheet tray. Smooth the surface, and allow mixture to cool completely, at least 2 hours. Up to this stage, this recipe can be made a day or two in advance, and kept covered in the refrigerator, until you are ready to bake and serve.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and cut the cooled gnocchi into 2 1/2-inch squares, then cut each square diagonally into a triangle. Use some of the softened butter to rub the baking dish or individual baking ramekins. Line the gnocchi triangles in the dish, add the grated Toma, and dot the remaining softened butter on top of the gnocchi. Bake the gnocchi for 15 to 25 minutes, depending on the size of your baking dish, or until the gnocchi is golden, souffleed, and looking bubbly. Remove and allow the gnocchi to cool for two minutes and serve.
