Gnocchi al Vaticano

 

It’s time for Eat the World and I am so excited for this month's choice: Vatican City!  I was so thrilled with this choice because The Vatican is so important to me as a Catholic, since it is where the Pope resides.  It is extra exciting this year since Pope Leo XIV was recently elected.

I was in the Vatican in 2001, just after my senior year of high school on a pilgrimage and saw Pope John Paul II and so many other sites that are meaningful to my Catholic faith.  In fact, Dude just went on the same pilgrimage last month!  It is such a special trip for young people to really connect with their faith.

As a small city-state and the smallest country, it can be hard to differentiate Vatican food from Italian, since the Vatican is completely surrounded by Rome. 

Luckily for me, the Vatican Cookbook exists!

The Vatican Cookbook: Presented by the Pontifical Swiss Guard by The Pontifical Swiss Guard
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This fabulous cookbook gives great information about The Vatican, the Swiss guard, and several Popes' favorites! Great recipes and a fun read!

View all my reviews

This cookbook was created by Swiss Guard chefs who cook specifically for the Pope, Swiss Guard, and Vatican staff.  After reading a fascinating food-centric history of the Swiss Guard, I knew I wanted to make the gnocchi.  

I’ve made gnocchi a few times before, but these might be my favorite.  The gnocchi themselves were the perfect level of al dente and the sauce, while simple and light, was incredibly flavorful and a real treat!

Eat the World

Vatican City

• Sneha of Sneha's Recipe served up The Pope's Fettuccine (Fettuccine alla Papalina)
• Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm enjoyed Giradole
• Amy of Amy's Cooking Adventures made Gnocchi al Vaticano

Gnocchi al Vaticano

The Vatican Cookbook

Gnocchi

1 ¼ pounds potatoes

2 eggs

2 egg yolks

1 ½ cup all purpose flour

3 ounces grated parmesan cheese

5 ½ tablespoon butter, softened

1 teaspoon salt

Sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 ounces pancetta, thinly sliced

1 small onion, diced

4 ounces mushrooms, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved & seeds removed

3 tablespoons white wine

2 tablespoons butter

⅓ cup basil pesto

Boil or bake the potatoes, peel, and cool.

Once cooled, push the potatoes through a ricer.  Add the eggs, yolks, flour, parmesan, butter, and salt and knead into a soft dough.

Turn out onto a well floured work surface.  Divide into smaller pieces and roll into ¾-inch logs, then cut into 1-inch pieces. If desired, roll over a gnocchi board and place on a well floured surface.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the gnocchi and cook until they float to the top, about 3-4 minutes.  Drain gnocchi, run cold water over the gnocchi to stop cooking and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat.  Add the pancetta, onion, and mushrooms and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the garlic, tomatoes, and wine and simmer for another 5 minutes.

Heat the butter in a separate skillet.  Add the gnocchi and cook for 5 minutes to reheat.  Add the mushroom sauce and pesto and stir to mix.  Serve immediately.

Serves 4-6