Not just any gnocco, but an original take that pays homage to Godia potatoes: Emanuele Scarello’s signature dish is worth the trip to Agli Amici. With a little bit of skill, though, you can try this simplified recipe—here it is.

Ingredients

For the gnocchi

845 g potatoes
170 g bread flour (high-gluten soft wheat flour)
35 g egg yolk
Nutmeg to taste
Salt to taste

For the garlic sauce

100 g peeled garlic cloves
30 g shallots
130 g potatoes
40 g white wine
5 g salt
186 g fresh cream
Extra virgin olive oil for cooking, to taste

For the herb crust

10 g parsley
40 g breadcrumbs
40 g Parmesan
40 g softened butter

To serve

1 handful of spinach
Black truffle shavings to taste
1 handful of edible flowers

Equipment needed

Kitchen thermometer
Immersion blender
Food processor (mixer)
Silicone mat (Silpat)

Instructions

Preparing the Gnocchi

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Bake the potatoes (845 g) in the oven for 40–50 minutes. Once cooked, mash them immediately and mix in the other ingredients: flour (170 g), egg yolk (35 g), nutmeg, and salt.

Knead until the mixture is smooth, then shape it into cylinders. Cut into 2-cm pieces and shape the gnocchi. Cook them for 4–5 minutes in boiling salted water.

Preparation of the Garlic Sauce

Blanch the garlic cloves (100 g) in boiling water five times, changing the water each time.

In a skillet, sauté the shallot (30 g) over low heat with the potatoes (130 g) and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Deglaze with white wine (40 g) and continue cooking. When the potatoes are fully cooked, add the blanched garlic, salt (5 g), and fresh cream (186 g), heating the mixture to 80°C. Blend until smooth and creamy, then keep warm.

Preparation of the Herb Crust

Blend the parsley (10 g), breadcrumbs (40 g), Parmesan (40 g), and softened butter (40 g) in a food processor.

Roll out the mixture on a silicone mat (Silpat) until it is 2 mm thick, then freeze. Once frozen, cut out small discs and place one on top of each gnocchi.

Baking and Plating

Place the gnocchi under the oven broiler until the herb crust is golden brown.

Sauté the spinach in a small saucepan. Serve the gnocchi on a bed of garlic sauce, garnishing the dish with the spinach, black truffle shavings, and edible flowers.