3. Gnocchi al cucchiaio – Nonna Maria's Cucina Alpina

As the eyes of the world focus on the 2024 Paris Olympics and Paralympics, preparations are underway for the 2026 Games to be hosted by Milan and Cortina. The winter sport towns of Bormio (famous for its thermal baths) and Livigno (a duty-free zone!) in Valtellina will be the site of alpine skiing, mountaineering, snowboarding, and free-style skiing.  

Nonna Maria used to compete in the national Senior Olympics, from her 70s into her 80s. She has shown me her photos and trophies for biking, bocce, archery and race-walking, travelling to national competitions held all over Italy. Whilst fitness and socialising were motivating factors, it also sounds as though the teams could get quite competitive!

While social media is exacerbating over-tourism in certain areas, from Cinque Terre villagers crowded out of their own neighbourhoods to cruise ship passengers disembarking for day trips in Venice, and that Florentine panini queue, the beauty of Italy is that if people would just venture off the beaten path and out of tourist traps, in order to experience and learn rather than snapping selfies, they can experience a fiercely local way of life steeped in history.

From the Opening ceremony in Milan to the Closing ceremony at the Arena di Verona, the Games will take place across great distances. For Valtellina, the Winter Games are an opportunity to raise the region's profile and attract international tourists to the mountains beyond the famous Lake Como. The event will hopefully prove a catalyst for inclusivity and accessibility, rather than an expensive distraction.

In late summer, the hills of Valtellina are full of wild blueberries, which are smaller and much more flavourful than the cultivated variety. Along with the more obvious uses in jams and baked goods, berries are also utilised in savoury food, such as Risotto con fragole (strawberries). When ordering Gnocchi ai mirtilli (blueberry gnocchi), my question was, “So, are the blueberries in the sauce or the gnocchi themselves?” The answer was: both. Although I opted to double up on the berries, there was also the option to have the blueberry gnocchi in a classic butter and sage sauce.  

What Nonna Maria cooks at home is a rustic Gnocchi al cucchiaio (spooned gnocchi), also known as Gnocchetti della Valchiavenna (small gnocchi from the Chiavenna Valley), Malfatti (wonky shapes), or white Pizzoccheri. Really, there is no recipe and it is cooked “per occhio” (literally, ‘by eye’), as a way to elevate leftovers and pantry staples. You can add different greens and herbs (or omit them entirely), and use more or less flour depending on the amount of old bread on hand.

The best known hard cheese produced in Lombardy is Grana Padano, but Parmigiano-Reggiano from Emilia-Romagna can be substituted. The latter is more strictly regulated in terms of origin, ageing etc, with a more complex flavour. The taste deteriorates as the cheese dries out, so it is best to freshly grate. You can also throw in a softer cheese as we did in the above photo (hence the name 'white Pizzoccheri').

Gnocchi al cucchiaio recipe

Serves 4 

• 200 g stale sourdough bread, torn or diced 

• 200 ml milk, water or a mix of both 

• 500 g spinach

• 200 g Tipo 00 flour (or plain flour), plus extra for dusting 

• 1 egg, lightly beaten 

• 100 g Grana Padano, freshly grated 

• Fine sea salt 

• 80 g unsalted butter

• 3 sage leaves 

1. Combine the bread and milk in a bowl and set aside for 10 minutes until absorbed, then squeeze to remove the excess milk. 

2. Wash the spinach leaves and cook for about 5 minutes until tender. Drain, squeezing out as much liquid as possible, and chop finely. 

3. Mix the bread, flour, egg, spinach, 60g of the Grana, salt and pepper in a bowl, mindful not to overwork the dough. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour to firm. 

4. Bring a pot of salted water to the boil.

5. Using 2 wet spoons, scoop a spoonful of dough and use the other spoon to slide it into the water. Cook for 1-2 minutes until they rise to the surface. 

6. As they rise, scoop them up with a slotted spoon (it need not be too dry), and place on a platter. 

7. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small pan over medium-high heat with the sage until the butter bubbles and browns.

8. Sprinkle the remaining Grana over the gnocchi, pour the burnt butter over the top and serve.

#gnocchi #valtellina