Today is Carnival Friday and as tradition has it, you have no choice: gnocchi is the thing!

And talking of gnocchi, in Verona we go with a beautiful poem. Written by Berto Barbarani, the poet of Verona (he writes in dialect), the poem “La cabala del gnoco” is a funny and expert description of the gnocchi making, and it goes like this… 

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LA CABALA DEL GNOCO (Berto Barbarani)

Eco qua, mondo pitoco, (here it is, poor world)

la gran cabala del gnoco! (the great fest of gnocchi)

 

Drita in mèso a la cusina, (standing right in the middle of the kitchen)

co la càpola de gala, (with her best gala hat)

me comare moscardina, (my friend)

la se giusta la grembiala, (is freshen up her kitchen apron)

 

che bisogna celebrar (because we have to celebrate)

el gran Vendri gnocolar…! (the big Friday fest of gnocchi)

 

Come capita el bon estro, 

la marida a poco a poco, (she marries slowly)

la farina a la patata (flour and potatoes)

e da forte inamorata, (and with all her love)

la manipola el paston… (she knead it)

 

Che el marcia in bigoli, (it turn out in small rolls)

longhi e sutili (long and thin)

ben cenerini, (well dusty)

come che va…(as they have to be)

 

E ogni tanto ‘na bela infarinà…! (and sometimes, just dust it with flour)

 

Fin, che via i rùgola, (thin, rolling away)

tochi e tocheti, (pieces and pieces)

oh che gnocheti, (oh, what a gnocchi)

che nassarà…! (will take life)

 

E ogni tanto ‘na bela infarinà…(and sometimes, just dust it with flour)

 

E ti lavora, (and you, do your job)

gratacasola, (ridges maker)

daghe el miracolo (do the miracle)

de la parola; (give them the speech)

faghe i so brufoli (make them ridges)

a fior de pansa, (on their belly)

che in esultansa (and they will laugh)

i ridarà…

 

E ogni tanto ‘na bela infarinà…! (and sometimes, just dust it with flour)

 

Desteso in rango (like an army)

Su la tovaia, (on the tablecloth)

sto fido popolo, (this loyal crowd)

che mai no sbaia,(that never fails)

 

che a mesogiorno (at lunch time)

sfida el canon; (they challenge the cannon)

 

sereno intrepido (calm and quiet)

chieto onfà l’oio, (is standing above the oil)

che speta el boio (waiting for it to boil)

del caldieron..! (in the big pan)

 

E ti lavora (And you, do you job)

gratacasola, (grater)

daghe el miracolo (do the miracle)

de la parola…(give them the speech)

grata el formaio, (grate the cheese)

 

sensa creansa, (without courtesy)

che el se ghe intrufola, (so that it will sneak in) 

dentro la pansa…(its belly ridges)

 

E ti destrìghete (and you butter, melt!)

butier balosso: 

spiuma,desfrìsete, (froth)

sàlteghe adosso…(jump on it)

pronti, el risponde (ready)

rosso brusà: (the tomato, red like fire)

Zzzz…zzzz- che el sìsola …(hissing - it says)

 

Gnochi, son qua! (Gnocchi, I’m here!)

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And now, the recipe of our traditional Carnival gnocchi!
 

INGREDIENTS (4 PORTIONS)

 

• 1 Kg of yellow potatoes

• 1 egg

• 250 gr  of flour type 00 – a pinch of salt

• tomato sauce

• grated Grana Padano cheese
 

HOW TO:

 

- Boil potatoes in a large pot with enough water, with their skins on. Boil for about 20 minutes or until fork tender. 

- Peel boiled potatoes, removing any brown spots that might be below the skin.

- Using a potato ricer, rice peeled potatoes. Mound riced potato on the middle of a wooden board or a clean, dry countertop and  top with flour, add a pinch of salt and scoop out the centre of the mound.

- Break the egg and add it in the center, beat it and mix all the ingredients. Using your hands, make a dough out of it adding the flour as needed

- Shape the dough into parts and roll each piece creating thin ropes (1/2cm diameter). Now cut the dough ropes into small pieces.

- To prevent sticking, dust them with flour. To create the ridges, you can use a fork.

- To cook, gently shake away the excess flour and place the gnocchi in a large pot of salted boiling water. Cook gnocchi until they float to the top, about 2-3 minutes.

- Now just add the tomato sauce and the grated cheese, pour a glass of our Valpolicella Doc and enjoy!!!

 

Cheers,

VM