This week’s Regional Italian recipe is quite a decadent one. It comes from the Alpine region of Valle d’Aosta (Aosta Valley) that borders with France and Switzerland. It is a renowned tourist destination for winter sports and summer hikes. It is beautiful, as only the Alps can be. And the food? It is hearty and simple, made mainly with local produce. Valle d’Aosta is especially famous for its cheese, the most known of all being Fontina, a cow’s milk and PDO cheese, which I am using for this recipe. In fact, this is quite a simple dish made with buckwheat gnocchi, butter and Fontina… when you have only few ingredients, their quality becomes paramount to obtain the best results. The name “Gnocchi alla bava”, literally means “Gnocchi à la dribble”… yeah, I know… it sounds gross, but the “dribble” is in fact the stretchy cheese (even though, in my opinion, it could easily refer to the fact that the dish is mouthwatering!)… Enjoy and don’t forget to check out all the other Regional Italian dishes that I have posted up till now!
Ingredients (for 4 to 6 people):
150 gms – 5.25 oz. Fontina cheese (or fontal), thinly sliced
75 gms – 2.65 oz. butter, melted
500 gms – 1 lb. buckwheat gnocchi
Start by preparing the gnocchi following my tutorial on How to make Buckwheat Gnocchi.
While the gnocchi are cooking, slice the cheese and melt the butter. Put some of the melted butter at the bottom of a big microwave proof bowl. When the gnocchi are ready, put some in the bowl, pour some melted butter on top and cover with some sliced cheese, then put another layer of gnocchi and so on.
Heat it in the microwave for 30 seconds, take it out and stir. Put it back in the microwave if needed. It will be ready when the cheese melts and stretches.
Enjoy hot!
It is the end of the month again! Which means it is time to check out the great roundup that Nancy from Spicie Foodie has put together of some of the best recipes from the blogosphere! Check out Your Best Recipe of January! I am contributing my Fish Couscous to it! Have fun!
Mmmm.. Gnocchi.. Delicious! Great post! 🙂
This looks amazing! So, rich and delicious, beautiful post. I can not wait to try your buckwheat gnocchi recipe!
Yum! Total comfort food, right there! I’ve actually never made gnocchi! Yours look perfect. I can’t wait to try them some time.
Che bonta’! I love gnocchi alla bava! I always feel guilty eating them, but I love them all the same
Looks great…love gnocchi but have yet to try to make it 🙂
The dish that I’m willing to try some day….It looks so delicious, thanks for sharing Manu.
You have been tagged here, I will be very happy to read about you.
http://goodcooks.wordpress.com/2012/01/31/creamy-rice-and-orange-pudding/
Funny – I thought that’s what it meant! No wonder – look at that cheese. How I miss fontina – was easy to get before and I love how it melts like this. I must get on that hunt – this is too good to miss!
A great variation with buckwheat and fontina cheese would be a great companion. What I love too are the grooves in the gnocchi for the cheese to settle into…delicious!
I love gnocchi, I love cheeses.. this is a dream!
You had me at gnocchi, Manu! What wonderful little bites of cheese. Aren’t those gnochetti?
Ooooh, gnocchi are my favorite! They beat any pasta for me 🙂 And with fontina? Man, woman, you’re out to get me! 😉
Love Gnocchi’s
These look so yumm…
Beautiful!!!
I love seeing your homemade gnocchi. So beautiful! I bet this simple meal tastes heavenly!!
I think this post makes you the gnocchi champion of the world, Manu. Look at that gorgeous melting cheese. Drrrrrroooooooo.
Such beautiful gnocchi, nicely done, Manu! Even though these are well known in Italy, I never had a chance to try them. They look exactly like something I’d like 🙂
Wow….your gnocchi looks perfect…lovely shape, and the buckwheat seems like fairly unique and delicious.
Lovely recipe, it’s an excellent way to make gnocchi…everything that has melted cheese is my kids favorite…
Fabulous!
I made these this week. So easy and very delicious! The combination of buckwheat and creamy gorgonzola.is an absolute winner
Yay! I am so glad you like these! I love buckwheat, but above all I love gorgonzola! hahaha 🙂