Tuscany is a wonderland for those who live to eat and believe in vino veritas. So the Tuscany Wine and Food Untour was a natural.
Here Donella, Serenella and their family, who will lead one of the events, share one of their favorite recipes. It’s a a hearty and satisfying dinner for a cool, dark winter night: Gnocchi ai Quattro Formaggi.
Potato gnocchi
(Serves 4-5 people)
Ingredients:
1 kilo (about 2.3 pounds) yellow potatoes, 300 g (about 2 cups) flour (Serenella prefers is ¾ wheat flour and ¼ spelt flour), 1 egg & salt, olive oil
Boil the potatoes with skin on, removing skin when potatoes have cooked.
Press the hot potatoes through a potato ricer; add them to the egg, flour, salt and a small amount of olive oil.
Knead all together to form several balls, and then allow dough to rest about 10 minutes.
Take small amounts of dough to roll out with hands, using flour to help you, and cut the gnocchi the size you prefer.
Cook in boiling salted water for a few minutes and remove from water when they begin to float.
Dress with sauce and serve while hot!
Sugo ai Quattro Formaggi
(Serves 4-5 people)
Ingredients:
80 g whole milk, 80 g Taleggio, 80 g Gorgonzola dolce, 80 g Emmental,
80 g whole milk, 80 g Taleggio, 80 g Gorgonzola dolce, 80 g Emmental,
80 g Fontina, salt; pepper, walnuts (80g = a little more than a half cup)
Optional: chopped walnuts
Cut the cheese into sall pieces.
Heat the milk, and add the cheese, stirring constantly until it is completely melted.
Add the drained gnocchi to the hot sauce.
Dust each portion with freshly ground pepper and top with a sprinkle of chopped walnuts.
Serve hot and buon appetito!
Meet Donella and her family, and get more recipes, cooking lessons, and wine knowledge on the Tuscany Wine and Food Untour, happening May 2 and October 10, 2018.
Special thanks to Untourist Joanne Choyka for the photos of their cooking lessons on the farm.