Restaurant group Big Mamma might have been born in France, but Italy is its true motherland. Founded by two Italophilic Frenchmen, Big Mamma has managed to conjure up the warmth and generosity of a traditional trattoria in a wide variety of European cities, partly because it insists on employing young, talented and enthusiastic Italian chefs.
The restaurant’s team – whose average age is 24 – brings the Mediterranean charm to chillier cities, such as Paris and London, recreating dishes that are rarely made so well outside of their home country. Now their secrets have been revealed in a book, Big Mamma’s Cucina Popolare: Contemporary Italian Recipes, published by Phaidon at £29.95.
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Consider this guide to making gnocchi, courtesy of Big Mamma chef Loris Drazhi, which is one of the tasty recipes reproduced in the book.
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For many amateur cooks, gnocchi is a slightly more advanced dish than your typical primi piatti, yet in Drazhi’s hands, the floury dumplings, which are often served in place of pasta, look easy.
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Ingredients
To make a serving of four you’ll need:
- 240 g/8½ oz Agria potatoes, or other floury potatoes such as Maris Piper or Yukon Gold
- 80 g/3 oz (1 cup) grated Parmesan cheese;
- Two eggs
- 60 g/2¼ oz (½ cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
- 50 g/2 oz of rice flour or durum wheat flour
- Salt
Method
- Put the potatoes into a pan of salted water. Bring to the boil and cook over a high heat for 30 minutes.
- Peel then mash the potatoes by passing through a mouli (food mill).
- Add the grated Parmesan, eggs and both flours, then mix with a wooden spoon or with your hands until a smooth dough forms.
- Cover and allow to rest for one hour at room temperature.
- Take a small piece of dough and roll it over a floured work surface into a long cylinder about 2 cm/¾ inch wide. Cut the cylinder into 2-cm/¾-inch-wide pieces. Repeat with the remaining dough.
- Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Cook the gnocchi in batches for about 3 minutes, or until they float to the surface.
- Then it’s time to eat, though you can also make gnocchi at home ahead of time and store it on a baking tray in the freezer, making sure to space the pieces well apart.
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