In traditional recipes or creative reinterpretations, gnocchi are popular both in Italy and abroad. But how did the king of potato-based first courses come into being? Let's trace its origin through the pages of history.

Potato gnocchi is an age-old recipe, dating back to around the 18th century, hence long after the tuber had been imported from South America. Indeed, although the first recipes for gnocchi were published around the second half of the 16th century by Cristoforo Messisbugo and Bartolomeo Scappi, two of the greatest chefs of the period, potatoes were not among the ingredients. Initially, what were referred to as the “macaroni, also known as gnocchi” were kneaded only with flour, breadcrumbs, boiling water and eggs, and then “put through the reverse side of the grater”, meaning finely grated, still the case in today’s recipe.

It was only after the famine of 1764 that the potato was introduced into recipe books, which recommended its use along with flour to make bread or pasta. From the end of the 18th century, recipes began to appear in which boiled and mashed potatoes were not only mixed with flour, but also combined with numerous other ingredients such as egg yolks, cream, parsley, garlic, ricotta cheese and veal fat. One of the first people to formulate a recipe for gnocchi similar to today’s (i.e. made simply with potatoes and flour) was the Italian writer and gastronome Pellegrino Artusi in his book La Scienza in cucina e l'arte di mangiar bene (Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well), first published in 1891. Since then, the dish has been gaining more and more popularity, rightfully becoming one of the shining lights of Italian cuisine.

Between reinterpretations and variations on a theme, gnocchi will remain among the leading dishes on our menus, which is why it is always good to have the basics in mind. The secret to good gnocchi lies in choosing the most suitable variety of potato. Our Colomba variety potatoes, with their yellow pulp, are ideal for prolonged cooking and kneading, guaranteeing the soft texture we love so much in gnocchi along with a delicate flavour that is perfect for enhancing all sauces.

Image: Canva