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Home » Specific Diets » Vegetarian

Published: Jan 22, 2019 · Modified: Dec 1, 2020 by Jacqui

Gnocchi alla Bava; Recipe from the Val d’Aosta


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Gnocchi alla Bava; Recipe from the Val d’Aosta.

Soft and delicate pillowy potato gnocchi go so perfectly with the stronger flavor of rich and creamy Fontina cheese in this gnocchi alla Bava recipe; a fabulous example of typical hearty mountain food from Northern Italy.

Gnocchi alla Bava; Recipe from the Val d’Aosta

Gnocchi alla bava is a traditional recipe and first course (Italians say primo) from the Val d'Aosta (Aosta Valley) and Piemonte (Piedmont). This creamy and nutritious dish can be prepared with classic potato gnocchi or, as per the tradition of the Aosta Valley, with gnocchi made with buckwheat flour. I used potato gnocchi this time, but am planning to make some buckwheat gnocchi very soon!

Gnocchi alla Bava; Recipe from the Val d’Aosta

A little gnocchi alla bava history.

According to food historians, Giovanni Vialardi, the famous head chef of Kings Carlo Alberto and Vittorio Emanuele II, included this recipe in his 1854 book of gastronomy, The Treaty of Cooking and Pastry. However, at that time, the royal kitchens were much influenced by French cuisine. Vialardi called this recipe ‘chenelli alla savoiarda’ from the French term ‘quenelle’ and with reference to Savoy, the historical region where the Italian royal family originated.

ingredients for Gnocchi alla Bava; Recipe from the Val d’Aosta

The cheese.

In the Val d’Aosta, the cheese that is used in gnocchi alla Bava is traditionally Fontina DOP, the most loved and well-known cheese of that tiny Northern Italian region. Fontina is an excellent fresh cheese, but especially popular in cooked recipes. It is a fabulous melting cheese that Northern Italians use in their version of cheese fondue (fonduta).

Fontina has a strong and decisive flavor, which goes so well with the delicate taste of the gnocchi. The sauce in this gnocchi alla bava recipe is probably the best cheese sauce ever! So, if you can find Fontina, I really recommend you use it to make this dish!

Fontina cheese cut into pieces on wooden board

Other cheeses.

If you can’t find Fontina, there are other cheeses from this part of Italy that are and can be used in this recipe. In Piemonte, they often make gnocchi alla bava with Toma. Other popular cheeses are Raschera, Gorgonzola, Maccagno or Castelmagno. You can also use Emmental or Gruyère.

Fontina cheese pieces in skillet with milk and cream

Making this gnocchi alla Bava recipe.

Like so many other pasta dishes, gnocchi alla bava is super simple to make. You can use homemade potato gnocchi, which will mean it takes a little longer to prepare. However, good quality ready-made gnocchi work well too! I usually prefer to make my own potato gnocchi. If you want to do the same, click here for my Italian potato gnocchi recipe.

Fontina cheese sauce for Gnocchi alla Bava; Recipe from the Val d’Aosta

Other possible ingredients.

In the basic, original recipe the sauce for potato gnocchi alla bava contains only Fontina cheese, fresh cream and milk. It takes just minutes to prepare! However, there are versions of this recipe that add nutmeg or black pepper to the sauce. I didn’t. What I did was add some chopped walnuts to the dish before serving.  I love the combination of walnuts with cheese and gnocchi.

gnocchi in fontina cheese sauce in skillet

I think it’s also possible to add some crispy pancetta or chopped ham if you want a bit of meat or perhaps some cooked spinach to make it more nutritious! Some people also bake gnocchi alla bava with a sprinkling of cheese, such as grated parmigiano, on top before serving. I did this with the leftovers and it was delicious.

Gnocchi alla Bava; Recipe from the Val d’Aosta

However you decide to serve this gnocchi alla bava recipe, it will definitely be a winner with both guests and family. In Italian, the word 'sbavare' means to drool! Although I don't know the exact origin of the name of this gnocchi recipe, it is definitely drool worthy! Perfect comfort food for those cold winter days when we really need our food to warm us up!

If you do try this gnocchi alla bava recipe, I’d love to hear what you think. Please write a comment here on the blog or post a comment on the Pasta Project Facebook page.

Your feedback means a lot to me!

Buon Appetito!

Gnocchi alla Bava

Some other gnocchi recipe on The Pasta Project

  1. Gnocchi alla sorrentina
  2. Gnocchi with gorgonzola and radicchio
  3. Homemade pumpkin gnocchi with sage butter
  4. Gnocchi with Gorgonzola 5 ways
  5. Tuscan gnudi (spinach and ricotta gnocchi)

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Gnocchi alla Bava; Recipe from the Val d’Aosta

Gnocchi alla Bava, Recipe from Val d'Aosta (Aosta Valley)

Jacqueline De Bono
Gnocchi alla Bava recipe is a fabulous example of typical hearty mountain food from Northern Italy. These pillowy potato gnocchi smothered in the best cheese sauce ever are heaven.
4.92 from 24 votes
Print Recipe Save Recipe Saved! Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 25 minutes mins
Total Time 30 minutes mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Aosta Valley, Italian, Northern Italy
Servings 4
Calories 815 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 800 g gnocchi (potato or buckwheat) (28oz)
  • 300 g Fontina cheese
  • 100 ml fresh cream (½ cup)
  • 100 ml milk (½ cup)
  • salt for gnocchi and to taste
  • 1 handful walnuts shelled and chopped
  • 50 g Parmigiano Reggiano (2oz) grated

Instructions
 

  • Put a pot of water on to boil for the gnocchi. Add salt once it starts to boil and bring to the boil again
  • Cut the Fontina cheese into chunks.
  • Put the pieces of Fontina in a saucepan or skillet together with the milk and cream then melt everything on a low flame, stirring continuously until there are no lumps.
  • Cook the gnocchi in the boiling salted water, then remove them with a slotted spoon as soon as they rise to the surface. Add the gnocchi to the cheese sauce and mix everything together well gently.
  • Serve with chopped walnuts and grated parmigiana as required.

Notes

This recipe can be made with other good melting Italian cheeses such as Toma, Raschera, Gorgonzola, Maccagno or Castelmagno. You can also use Emmental or Gruyère 
Cooking times don't include making homemade gnocchi.
You can also bake gnocchi alla bava sprinkled with grated Parmigiano for 15 minutes before serving. 

Nutrition

Calories: 815kcalCarbohydrates: 75gProtein: 34gFat: 43gSaturated Fat: 24gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 127mgSodium: 1495mgPotassium: 155mgFiber: 5gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 1195IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 656mgIron: 8mg
Keyword fontina, gnocchi, Italian food, potato gnocchi
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Gnocchi alla Bava

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Reader Interactions

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Emma L says

    December 15, 2021 at 2:42 am

    Did any reviewer actually make this? "5 stars it LOOKS amazing!" Um.... maybe 5 stars for the story, but what about the taste? A little misleading.

    I made it and it was alright. For some reason it was kind of sour. Also the cheese never got smooth for me, even though I waited longer than the recipe recommended. Any tips for these issues?

    Reply
    • Jacqui says

      December 15, 2021 at 6:55 pm

      Hi Emma, I'm sorry to read that your gnocchi alla bava didn't turn out well. It's hard to know what went wrong without more details. I've made this recipe a number of times and it's always yummy. I've no idea why it would be sour. There are so few ingredients in this dish. But, it could be caused by the milk, the cream, the potato gnocchi or the cheese if something wasn't really fresh. Walnuts can also be sour if you added them. What type of cheese did you use? I never have a problem with Italian Fontina. But if a sauce isn't smooth enough, you can use a whisk or immersion blender to smooth it out.

      Reply
      • Emma says

        December 20, 2021 at 2:13 am

        Hi Jacqui,
        Thanks for getting back to me. I used fontina cheese I found at the local grocery market, and it was my first time trying that type of cheese. I may have had the heat too high also. I’m not sure, but I would like to try it again! Maybe I’ll try another cheese next time.
        Thanks!

        Reply
        • Christopher says

          February 27, 2023 at 2:11 am

          This dish is good with the real fontina cheese imported from Italy, which is not easy to find in most areas. The cheeses called "fontina" in supermarkets are often primitive products with nowhere near the quality and character of real fontina. I suspect this may be the reason that the other reader did not have success with this dish.

          However, as Emma says, something like Gruyere will work, and a real Gruyere cheese made in Switzerland can sometimes be found more easily (although not necessarily in every standard supermarket).

          Many of these authentic Italian recipes use so very few ingredients... that the quality of ingredients is paramount.

          Reply
  2. Colleen http://www.thefoodblog.net Milne says

    October 24, 2019 at 4:59 am

    This gnocchi looks truly amazing I am drooling! I can't wait to give this recipe a try. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  3. Krista Price says

    January 28, 2019 at 7:03 pm

    You share one incredible recipe after another! I sent your page to my Sicilian mother-in-law and she was blown away by your dishes! This one tops the charts! Absolutely amazing!

    Reply
    • Jacqui says

      January 31, 2019 at 11:28 am

      What a lovely comment, thank you Krista! I'm thrilled both you and your mother-in-law like my recipes! Yes this one is super yummy and easy to make too!

      Reply
  4. Geetanjali says

    January 28, 2019 at 7:37 am

    This recipe looks fantastic. Though I have not had gnocchi before. But would love to try it. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
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