Paste

Friuli-Venezia Giulia’s location as a crossroads region drawing influence and flavors from other places is perhaps most striking when we deal with dishes that fall under the general category known as pasta. This is one of the foremost gnocchi-making regions of Italy Ancestors of these delicate little dumplings were surely Roman in origin, so the tradition of forming a dough with a starch (once wheat, now usually potatoes) and liquid has been around for more than two thousand years.

Nowhere else in Italy can one find such a wide range of gnocchi that adapt to basic sauces such as tomato or meat, but also to herb sauces, cheeses, spices, and even chocolate. Other gnocchi are made with ingredients such as pumpkin or ricotta cheese instead of potatoes. Then there are the larger gnocchi (more delicate than the dumplings of Mitteleuropa) that are made with bread and served with butter, cheese, or a spicy cucumber sauce. The greatest gnocchi of all are probably those filled with fruit such as plums, apricots, or cherries.