History of Gnocchi

Learn about the many variations of Gnocchi and the dish came to be! Each week, we'll post a Food History 101 video to help you learn about the historical con...

There are many variations of gnocchi in Italy today. In Sorrento, they are served with a tomato sauce and appropriately named gnocchi alla sorrentina, while Venetians have a version they call macaroni, which is made sans potato. But the very first gnocchi came about around the 17th century after the Spanish brought potatoes to Italy.

During the Renaissance, gnocchi was considered a sophisticated dish that was often served during special occasions. Since then, it’s gone through many adaptations including recipes that involved everything from ground almonds to breadcrumbs. Then in the 19th century, Pellegrino Artusi alas published the gnocchi recipe that we know and love today.

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