Damiano Ciolli Pairings

Gnocchi a coda de soreca

(Rat-tail gnocchi)with garlic aioli and chili pepper sauce

Gnocchi a coda de soreca are thick, hand-rolled eggless noodles originally from South-East of Rome area. They owe their name to the elongated shape reminiscent of the tail of mice (rat-tail). They are shaped by hand and tossed with different type of sauce, in this case aglio, olio e peperoncino (garlic aioli and chili pepper sauce).

Ingrediants

300g of plain flour

300g of durum wheat flour, (semolina)

300g of water, lukewarm

2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil

Garlic aioli and chili pepper sauce

60ml of extra virgin olive oil

6 garlic cloves, crushed

Chili pepper

5-6 cherry tomatoes

Pecorino Romano Cheese

Preparation: For the gnocchi a coda de soreca, mix the flours together on a work surface. Make a mound and then create a well in its center. Slowly pour in the water mixed with the oil. Gently start to incorporate the flour and water to form a smooth dough (add a little more flour if it appears too soft and sticky). Flatten the dough slightly, wrap it in cling film and leave to rest for 30 minutes

Next, divide the dough into 3 pieces and roll each piece out into a 5mm thick sheet using a rolling pin (you don't want the sheet of pasta to be too thin or it'll be harder to roll the gnocchi a coda de soreca). Cut out long strips of dough, about 5mm wide. Then, using your palms, roll them into rope-like noodles starting from the center and working towards the extremities. Ensure that your work surface is always dusted with flour and semolina while shaping the gnocchi a coda de soreca. Irregular is okay here – just aim for an average diameter of 1–2mm.

Fry garlic cloves with extra virgin olive oil in a pan and add 5-6 cherry tomatoes. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the gnocchi a coda de soreca and cook for about 4 minutes, or until tender but still al dente. Drain and transfer to the saucepan with the aglio, olio e peperoncino. Toss over a low heat for a minute or until evenly coated in sauce. Serve immediately, perhaps with some grated Pecorino Romano cheese.

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