Gnocchi with Gorgonzola 5 ways!
Gnocchi with Gorgonzola and speck
In Northern Italy, one of the most popular ways to eat gnocchi, especially potato gnocchi, is with a Gorgonzola sauce! In my opinion, partnering gnocchi with gorgonzola is a food match made in heaven. But then I’m a big Gorgonzola fan! If you are too keep reading! (go straight to recipe)
A little Gorgonzola history!
Gorgonzola is actually a very old cheese. It is believed to date back to Roman times. Some say that it was made for the first time in 879 AD in the Northern Italian town of Gorgonzola, close to Milan. According to others, Gorgonzola was born in Pasturo, a town located in the Valsassina in Lombardy. Either way, it is the town that gave the cheese its name that remains the centre of most renown.
In the past, herds of cows would be driven down from their grazing in the Alps to the valleys of the Po River in the autumn. It is said that Gorgonzola cheese was created as a result of the overwhelming number of cows in the area at one time. The people of Gorgonzola and the surrounding farms had to begin making cheese in order to conserve all the milk.
Gnocchi with Gorgonzola and walnuts
However, legend has it that Gorgonzola was the result of a romantic escapade of a dairy worker who abandoned his evening’s work midway to spend time in his lover’s arms. The following day he added the morning’s curd to the previous night’s abandoned curds instead of throwing the latter away, as he should have done. This accidental hero succeeded in creating a cheese that had parsley green veins of mold in the middle but tasted good and remained soft even when aged!
Gnocchi with Gorgonzola, walnuts and fresh figs.
Whichever way it was first made, Gorgonzola has become one of the Italians’ favourite cheeses and one of Italy’s most loved exports with an annual turnover of 550 million euros and about 35 percent of production exported. The production of Gorgonzola is now very heavily controlled to ensure that it conforms to certain standards of production. In the EU, it has Protected Designation of Origin (DOP) status and in Italy, it is a DOC cheese. Gorgonzola DOP is made exclusively with milk from cows in Piedmont and Lombardy.
Gnocchi with Gorgonzola speck and walnuts
There are two main types of Gorgonzola; ‘Dolce’, or mild Gorgonzola, which has a delicate taste, a creamier texture and less-developed blue veins than mature varieties and ‘Piccante’ or mature Gorgonzola, which has a firmer texture, stronger taste and more clearly defined blue veins.
Italians eat gorgonzola in risotto, on pizza, in soup, on bread and, of course, with pasta and gnocchi. And as you can imagine, most gorgonzola recipes originate from the regions in which the cheese is made; Lombardy and Piedmont. Although different types of gnocchi are eaten and loved by all Italians, the heavier potato gnocchi are more common in the Northern regions and this is the type of gnocchi most often paired with Gorgonzola.I used my own homemade potato gnocchi but you can also use store-bought gnocchi. However, fresh or frozen is better than dried.
Gnocchi with Gorgonzola can be made with just Gorgonzola and a sprinkling of parmesan or grana or can also contain other ingredients typical of the North too; ingredients such as walnuts, speck or pancetta, radicchio, porcini mushrooms, truffles and fruit such as pears, and melons and figs in summer. I like to add walnuts, speck or figs, or a combination of these.
In many cases, and like these recipes, the basic sauce is the same. Just melt the gorgonzola in a pan with a little butter, cream, milk or just the pasta cooking water. Other ingredients may be added after the sauce is mixed with the gnocchi or cooked in the pan in which the gorgonzola is melted. Very simple, very easy to make and very delicious. So, if you’re a gorgonzola fan, now’s the time to give these combinations of this recipe a try. I’m sure you will agree with me, heaven on a plate!
Buon Appetito
(see the recipe on the next page)
You have no idea how excited I am about this! Trader Joe’s makes a freezer gnocchi with gorgonzola and I’m obsessed with it – I can only imagine how much better the homemade version is!! Can’t wait to try this out!
I love gnocchi and pairing it with gorgonzola sauce sounds very flavourful and yummy. Lovely idea and awesome share.
despite being in the culinary industry, I am a somewhat picky eater and I don;t like gorgonzola or any smelly cheese – but I love the idea of this recipe with the figs as I love figs but I think I’ll just switch up the cheese
What a great recipe. And very interesting to read as well. I would love to try this recipe soon. Looks great.
Your recipes help me learn so many interesting things about the ingredients I use in everyday life – something I have been eager to start doing for a long time! Next time I make gnocchi with gorgonzola, I will have an incredible perspective on the dish – thank you for that!
So many variations! How does one chose?! Simple answer, I’m not making a choice -I’m making them all!
I’m a huge Gorgonzola fan, so this recipe looks perfect for me. And those gnocchi look so delicious and pillowy. Definitely making this soon!
Yes to anything with gorgonzola! I love the different variations, and can’t wait to try some of that sauce!
I’ve never put gorgonzola in with gnocchi but I love both ingredients so I’m excited to try this new combination. Thanks for sharing this tasty recipe.
Wow, this looks really fabulous! I absolutely love gorgonzola, but have never made it as a cream sauce. I’m definitely going to have to try it
I absolutely loved the legend about that romantic guy, I’d love it if it was the case! And all these varieties look amazing. Adding figs is such a great idea.
I love food legends and yes the story about Gorgonzola is a cute one! Figs and Gorgonzola is a delicious combo! I hope you’ll try it, Stine!
I love that you used nutmeg and figs in this dish, such a good mix of sweet and savoury! Thanks for this awesome recipe, can’t wait to try it.
Thank you Bevyn! I love the use of figs and nutmeg here too. They give this dish such a wonderful flavour! Am sure you will love it!
Gnocchi is so delicious. So easy to make, you can enjoy this any night of the week. Love all the CHEESE…cause you can never go wrong with pasta and chesse….always a hit at our table.
Thanks for your comment Gloria. Yes this is really an easy dish to make whichever other ingredients you choose to add to the gnocchi and gorgonzola! We often eat this in winter!
This looks soo yummy! All of your recipes look divine! I just live any kind of pastas!
Thank you dear! Gnocchi with Gorgonzola is a food match made in heaven! I’m happy you like the recipes here. I hope you’ll give some of them a try! Greetings from Verona! Jacqui
Wow, these different combinations all look yummy, never tried it myself but probably will soon.
Grazie Fred! Gnocchi with Gorgonzola is fab but when you add figs or nuts or speck it takes it to another level. I hope you do try it! Greetings from Verona! Jacqui
Seriously, yum! My husband will go crazy for this recipe, because he LOVES gnocchi and gorgonzola is the perfect flavor compliment.
Grazie Samantha! I hope you’ll make this for your hubby! Gnocchi and Gorgonzola is a to-die-for combination if you like blue (Italians say green) cheese! Buon appetito from Verona! Jacqui
I love Gnocchi and the addition of Gorgonzola is a great idea. I bet this dish is full of flavors !
Thank you Namrata, yes gnocchi with gorgonzola is super tasty. It’s very traditional here in Northern Italy. All the best Jacqui.
I love gorgonzola. Such a great cheese. This looks so delicious with the gnocchi and speck. Love the romantic legend of how gorgonzola came to be. So fun!
Grazie Michelle! Gnocchi with speck and gorgonzola is a great combo. It’s delicious with normal pasta too! Lots of Italian recipes and food have legends/stories about their origins. I love including these coz it makes the food interesting! Ciao from Verona! Jacqui
Ohhh I love ghocchi and gorganzola! What a great combination of ways to make it. I love the fig idea.
Thanks so much Julie! I think gorgonzola is my favourite condiment for gnocchi. This is a very traditional dish here in Northern Italy but the addition of figs is quite a contemporary idea! However, a superlicious one! Greetings from Verona! Jacqui
Ohhh I love ghocchi and gorganzola! What a great combination of ways to make it. I love the fig idea.
I love using cheeses that I might not ordinarily. Great recipe ideas here, I especially love the gnocchi!
Thank you Constance! I love gnocchi too. Here in Italy there are many times of gnocchi, those made with potato alone or with another veg and those made with ricotta and some made with different types of flour. All delicious! All the best from Verona! Jacqui
This sounds really delicious, I love using blue cheese in gnocchi so gotta give this a try.
Thanks so much Brian! Yes blue cheese and gnocchi together is a wonderful combo! Funnily enough in Italy they don’t say blue cheese but green cheese (formaggio verde!) Have a great week! Jacqui