Gnocchi a la Romana

Ingredients

(Serves 8 as an entrée or 4 mains)

• 1 litre milk
• 80-100g butter
• 3 egg yolks
• 1½ cups course ground semolina
• ¾ cup parmesan grated
• Fresh grated nutmeg to taste
• 400g Swiss brown mushrooms sliced
• 1 small bunch sage fried until crisp
• 8 slices pancetta baked until starting to crisp
• 3 garlic cloves
• A few sprigs of fresh thyme
  
  

Method

Heat milk with a pinch of salt. Add the semolina slowly & whisk constantly to prevent lumps. Cook for about 15 minutes until it forms a thick paste. Remove from the heat & allow to cool a few minutes. Add the egg yolks one at a time add ½ cup parmesan, nutmeg & 40g butter & salt to taste. Pour into a buttered tray & spread to 1cm thick. Allow to cool & set. Cut into rounds & place layers in a buttered oven dish. Sprinkle with parmesan & dot with butter. Bake in a hot oven 220°C & bake 15 minutes until starting to brown. Serve with sautéed mushrooms, pancetta & drizzle with salsa verde. For the mushrooms, heat a pan with a little olive oil & add the garlic. Add the mushrooms & sauté until tender & season with salt, pepper & thyme. 

 Salsa Verde

Combine together: 1 crushed clove of garlic, zest & juice of 1 lemon, 1 tblspn of chopped capers & ¼ bunch chopped parsley add 50-60ml olive oil & season with salt & pepper.