When it comes to pasta, Nonna knows best in new ‘Pasta Grannies’ cookbook

Last night I took my first stab at ‘ndunderi — Italian for ricotta gnocchi, a specialty of Minori on the Amalfi Coast. The creamy-rich tomato sauce was a cinch, and the dumpling dough came together just as quickly. I rolled each walnut-sized ball over the floured tines of a fork to make ridges as directed, dumped them in a pot of boiling water and watched as they bobbed to the surface. I tossed the steaming gnocchi into the sauce, poured the mixture into a baking dish, covered it with more cheese, and popped it in the oven until bubbly.

The sauce was sublime. The gnocchi were a little heavy, but not bad for a novice. I’m motivated now to get good at this.

This is the first recipe I've tried from British food writer Vicky Bennison's "Pasta Grannies: The Secrets of Italy's Best Home Cooks" (Hardie Grant, $29.99), the companion cookbook to the YouTube channel and Instagram account that have become viral sensations. Bennison has spent years traveling in Italy, taking viewers into the kitchens of the Italian grandmothers, or nonne, who keep the pasta-making techniques indigenous to each community alive. Many are well into their 80s and 90s. Rarely do they write their recipes down. Bennison sees it as her mission to collect and translate them for future generations.