For those of you receiving these posts by email, I’m sorry about the funky formatting of the last entry. Due to computer problems, I had to create the post on my iPad, and obviously, I found out there are limitations to that platform. Hopefully this post, written on my new computer (yea!) has come through without any problems in viewing. To read my last post about pecorino di Pienza cheese, go to the actual site, https://ciaochowlinda.com.Continuing on the pecorino theme, if you’re looking for heaven on a plate, have I got a recipe for you. These light as a cloud potato dumplings, served with guanciale and arugula in a creamy pecorino cheese sauce, were so divine, I was wishing I ordered a full portion for myself, instead of splitting it with my husband.
We ate these gnocchi as our primo piatto on a recent trip to Sardinia, at the restaurant in our hotel, La Villa Del Re. After having tried a couple of other restaurants off site, we concluded that the hotel’s restaurant was unparalleled in its excellent cuisine. The chef here, Marco Granato, has a magic touch. Everything about this small hotel (adults only) along the Tyrrhenian Sea defines it as a special place, and one we can’t wait to go back to.
The food, the hospitality and the service are exceptional here and the views are stunning too. All the meals we enjoyed at this dreamy hotel along Sardinia’s Costa Del Rei were delicious and beautifully presented –
From breakfast with a view of the infinity swimming pool and the sea:
To the cakes and scones at the daily tea time:
Just in case you can’t get to La Villa Del Re anytime soon, here’s that heavenly gnocchi recipe for you, courtesy of Marco Granato, La Villa Del Re’s talented chef.
More recipes and fun adventures from Sardinia to follow in future posts.
- For the Gnocchi:
- 1000 grams (2.2 pounds) boiled potatoes
- 500 grams (about 3 1/2 cups) flour
- 50 grams fecola (about 1/3 cup potato starch)
- 3 eggs
- salt
- For the Pecorino Sauce:
- 350 grams (about 1 3/4 cup) milk
- 200 grams (about 1 cup) mild pecorino cheese
- 20 grams (1 1/2 T.) flour
- 20 grams ( 1 1/2 T. )butter
- salt, pepper to taste
- For the Condiments:
- 400 grams (small handful) arugula
- 1/2 of a leek
- 150 grams (about 1/3 pound) guanciale
- 15 grams (1 T. ) extra virgin olive oil
- a few sprigs of fresh thyme
- salt, pepper to taste
- To make the gnocchi:
- Boil the potatoes in water with the lemon peel for 20 minutes.
- They should be cooked on the outside, but will finish cooking in the oven, which will also dry out some of the water.
- After boiling, drain the potatoes and put them on a baking sheet and cook in the oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
- After cooking, pass the hot potatoes through a potato ricer or a sieve and spread them out on a cookie sheet.
- Mix the riced potatoes with the flour, the fecola, the eggs and a bit of salt. Form the mixture into ropes, then cut each rope into small pieces to make the gnocchi.
- To Make the Pecorino Cream Sauce:
- Cut the cheese into small pieces, then put the butter and half the cheese into a pan over low heat until melted. Add the flour, making a roux, then add the milk, stirring constantly. Add the rest of the cheese and stir, letting the cheese melt, while adding salt and pepper to taste. If the sauce is too thick, add a bit more milk until reaching the desired consistency.
- To Finish:
- Cut the leek into small pieces.
- Cut the guanciale into small pieces
- Cook the leek in some olive oil at low heat for about 10 minutes. If it starts to turn dark, add some hot water or vegetable broth.
- Add the guanciale until it’s slightly crunchy, then add the thyme, salt and pepper.
- Boil the gnocchi in salted water, then in a separate pan with the sauce, gently stir the gnocchi in the pecorino sauce. Add the cooked guanciale and the arugula and serve on warm plates.
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