The gnocchi from Val Varaita are the best in the world!

For all lovers of this typical Italian product, there is a recipe that is truly unmissable. Val Varaita gnocchi are made with potatoes and cheese.

Gnocchi from Val Varaita, also known as ravioles from Val Varaita, are a typical dish of Piedmontese cuisine. Like all other variations of this product, these are also made with potatoes, especially the red ones. The main feature is the addition of an ingredient other than the usual traditional recipe, namely cheese. To enrich this fresh pasta with a particular flavor, grated Piedmontese toma cheese is used. Furthermore, the original recipe of these Val Varaita ravioles includes a creamy dressing, made with cream, butter and the typical Raschera cheese.

Preparation of the recipe for the gnocchi from Val Varaita

1. To begin with, wash the potatoes under running water and place them in a large pot. Cover them with cold water and put them to boil on the stove. The cooking takes about 35 minutes , but you can evaluate by feeling them with a fork; if they are soft enough, you can drain.
2. Once done, remove the peel and mash them with a potato masher . Collect them on a pastry board and add the grated cheese.
3. Begin to work the mixture. Also add the grated toma cheese, the eggs and a pinch of salt.
4. Knead vigorously to mix the ingredients and, in the meantime, also incorporate the flour, a little at a time .
5. When you make a soft and non-sticky dough, remove one piece at a time and form loaves. With a tarot, cut them into chunks ( about 1.5 cm long).
6. Work each piece into the shape of the potato gnocchi typical of Val Varaita: a sort of gnocchi with a more tapered and elongated shape. As you create them, place them on a cloth dusted with semolina flour .
7. To cook the gnocchi, fill a saucepan with water and put it on the stove. When it comes to a boil, add salt and dip in the fresh pasta.
8. After a few minutes they will begin to come back to the surface and you can drain them.
9. Let’s move on to how to season the gnocchi from Val Varaita. The typical preparation involves a sauce, which is created by melting the butter in a saucepan, until it becomes amber.
10. At this point, add the grated Raschera cheese and mix for a few seconds. Finally, add the liquid cream and cook over low heat , stirring constantly . The sauce is ready when it appears thick and you can add it to the cooked pasta.

storage

Being a very particular type of fresh pasta, the best advice is not to keep the potato gnocchi typical of Val Varaita and eat them immediately .

Alternatively, try the recipe for carrot gnocchi with Parmesan !