gnocchi

Definition

Italian pasta-like dumpling(s) made of potato or semolina.

Etymology

From Italian gnocchi, plural of gnocco (“dumpling”, literally “lump”), related to nocchio (“knot (in wood)”), a borrowing from Lombardic knohha (“knuckle, bone, knot”), from Proto-Germanic *knukô (“bone”), *kneukaz (“tuber, knuckle”), from Proto-Indo-European *gnew- (“knot, bundle”). Cognate with Middle High German knoche (“bone, knot”) (modern German Knochen), Middle Dutch knoke (“knuckle, knob, knot”), Swedish knoge (“knuckle”). More at knuckle.

Example Sentences

• "Dip each gnocco into the flour, shaking off excess. Carefully lower the gnocchi, one at a time, into the simmering water. Cook a few at a time since they must not touch each other while cooking. The gnocchi will be cooked when they rise to the surface; this should take 2 to 3 minutes, depending on the gnocchi."
• "Test one gnocchi by placing it in a large pot of rapidly boiling lightly salted water."
• "Silky, feather-light and with an other-worldly texture, home-made gnocchi is one of the most spoiling things you can make for someone, yet it is surprisingly simple to put together, especially when just for two."