Don’t be embarrassed if you don’t know whether gnocchi is pasta or not. These small, dumpling-like balls of heaven have stumped many of us even when it’s been our go-to comfort food on bad days. So, we asked an Italian chef to help us come to a conclusion.
While they might look like they’re part of the same family, gnocchi and pasta are made using two completely different sets of ingredients. The only similar ingredient the two foods share is flour; while pasta adds only wheat to the mix, gnocchi can be made with potatoes and eggs.
“I would also put gnocchi in the dumpling camp from a culinary definition standpoint, but it is treated as a pasta—from how it’s cooked, to how it’s sauced, and where it lands on a menu,” Barreira says.
Pasta is typically made from wheat flour mixed with water and eggs. Since a gnocco (a single lump of gnocchi) is made primarily from potatoes, it’s technically a dumpling.
The other day, I pulled together a collection of our 60 favorite fall pastas for you lovely readers. As I debated which dishes to include, I found myself questioining: Wait, is gnocchi pasta?
Moral of the story: No matter what it technically is or what you choose to mentally classify it as, gnocchi makes for a delicious, comforting, and wholly satisfying dish. Be sure to check out some of our favorite gnocchi recipes to enjoy it at home.
I always considered it a pasta because A.) it looks like pasta and is served similarely B.) it’s usually listed near pasta dishes on menus. But if something walks like a duck and talks like a duck, is it actually a duck? Turns out, the answer is no.
What is gnocchi, and should you call it pasta?
When Laura Sharrad on Season 12 of MasterChef walked away from the judges after they tasted her dish saying, “It’s not pasta, it’s gnocchi”, some of us may have been thrown off.
You see, pasta is typically made from wheat flour, eggs and water. On the other hand, the most common type of gnocchi – Italian for ‘lumps’ – is primarily made from potatoes and combined with just enough flour to hold the dough together. A small amount of egg yolk is added on to give the mixture a bit of density — it also acts as a binding agent.
The introduction of potatoes as a primary ingredient in some types of gnocchi has created a debate as old as time: is gnocchi a pasta or a type of dumpling?
Deborah Dal Fovo, a private chef, cooking instructor, and Italian lifestyle expert who lived in both Milan and Tuscany for 20 years, explains to Lifehacker Australia that there’s no doubt in her head that gnocchi is NOT pasta because of the way the ingredients are used. Instead, she would categorise gnocchi as a dumpling, especially the ‘light and fluffy ones made with potato or ricotta’.
However, she said some Italians would argue otherwise for only one simple reason: the pasta dough used to make some of the versions of gnocchi.
“I can tell you there are many types of gnocchi, some of which are made with a pasta dough called impasto in Italian,” Dal Fovo said to Lifehacker Australia. “This is why gnocchi is often categorised as a pasta.
“So for instance, people in southern Italy would consider gnocchi made with impasto to be a pasta dish. Those in northern Italy would simply call it dumpling.”
She explains that it differs across regions depending on which version(s) of the gnocchi is more popular there.
Dal Fovo also believes the shape of the gnocchi might itself be why some people confuse it with pasta.
“Gnocchetti [a type of pasta] most likely gets mixed up with gnocchi because they both look and sound alike but there’s no similarity in terms of the actual dough or consistency,” she said.
In other words, just because it looks like pasta and is dressed like pasta… doesn’t mean it’s pasta.
An article on MasterClass gives us a breakdown of the huge variety of types of gnocchi dishes out there and no doubt explains some of the confusion:
- Original gnocchi: The first versions of gnocchi appeared on the scene sometime during the 14th century. These were made from breadcrumbs and/or flour.
- Gnocchi alla zucca: Pumpkin gnocchi served with butter and cheese.
- Ndunderi: A specialty from the Amalfi Coast and traditionally made with farro (grain) and curdled milk.
- Gnocchi alla Romana: These are made with semolina and milk and shaped into squares. You have to bake these.
- Ricotta gnocchi: In this dish, you substitute potatoes for ricotta.
- Malfatti: Extra-large gnudi made with a mixture of ricotta, flour and blanched spinach.
- Gnocchi à la Parisienne: French gnocchi made from pâte à choux—flour, butter, and egg. No potatoes are used. You’ll need to pipe and cut the paste into simmering water.
[referenced url=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2020/04/5-simple-recipes-to-use-up-all-the-flour-you-bought/” thumb=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2020/04/flourcooking-410×231.jpg” title=”5 Simple Recipes To Use Up All The Flour You Bought” excerpt=”So, you bought your weights worth in flour? It seemed everyone did as flour flew off supermarket shelves during the coronavirus panic buying that occupied much of Marchs headlines. Now youve got enough to feed a small village, heres what you can do with it.”]
Mastering GNOCCHI | How to Make Perfect Potato Gnocchi Pasta
FAQ
Is gnocchi the same as pasta?
Are gnocchi healthier than pasta?
Can gnocchi be substituted for pasta?
Does gnocchi taste like pasta?
Are gnocchi pasta?
Gnocchi are considered pasta, but they are a kind of Italian dumplings made of potatoes, flour and other ingredients added at your choice. What do gnocchi taste like?
Does gnocchi have more carbs than pasta?
Pasta has two times the amount of carbohydrates per serving compared to gnocchi. This might be surprising because gnocchi is made of potatoes, but it is all the flour that pasta uses which makes more carbohydrate heavy. Alongside this, gnocchi is very sodium rich, with over 200 grams per serving.
Is pasta thicker than gnocchi?
Pasta is not as heavy as gnocchi overall and typically not as thick either. The flavors are slightly different because of the ingredients used to make them. Just as with gnocchi, various flavors and herbs can be added to pasta when it is made. You can also add mushrooms.
What are the different types of gnocchi?
Potato gnocchi: These are the most common and popular types of gnocchi. They are made from a mixture of boiled potatoes and flour, and their texture is soft and fluffy. Cheese Gnocchi: These are made from a mixture of cheese, eggs and flour. They have a denser texture than potato gnocchi and a richer taste.