RECIPE: Transform leftover bread into next-day gnocchi
“The Italian version of matzoh balls but better” is how acclaimed chef Marc Vetri describes his bread gnocchi in “Mastering Bread,” the newly released cookbook he co-authored with his former head baker Claire Kopp McWilliams.
The dumplings are among a handful of recipes in a chapter titled “Eat: Foods Made with Bread.” Potatoes traditionally form the base for gnocchi, but cubed sourdough that sits in a rich liquid long enough to absorb the milky, eggy, nutmeg-scented goodness is right for the times. Perhaps you’re still in quarantine bread-baking mode or perhaps, also, a crusty baguette or boule is a tradition at your holiday table. This recipe will transform leftover loaves into a filling next-day meal.
Vetri calls for adding bolted soft wheat flour when stirring the cubed sourdough into the creamy liquid. Bolted flour is whole-grain flour with some percentage of the bran sifted out; bakers use it when they want a lighter loaf that still retains the nutritional value found in the germ of the wheat berry. DaySpring Farms in Danielsville is a local source for freshly milled flour while Breadtopia is a terrific online resource for artisanal breadmaking. If you can’t get your hands on bolted wheat flour, don’t sweat it. Use all-purpose flour, 100% whole-wheat flour or a combination of the two.
Plating is flexible, too. You can drizzle the dumplings with browned butter as prescribed below, or as Vetri points out in the headnote, ladle chicken soup on top. “Either way, they warm the heart on a cold day.”
- 1/2 loaf sourdough table bread
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 3 1/2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 3 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup eggs (about 2 medium)
- 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 1 tablespoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
- 3/4 cup bolted soft wheat flour (substitute with 3/4 cup sifted all-purpose flour, 100% whole-wheat flour or a combination of the two)
- 1 cup flour for dusting
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons chopped mixed fresh herbs (parsley, thyme, rosemary)
- Remove the crust from the bread, then cube the bread. You should have about 5 cups total. In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, cream, oil, eggs, 1/2 cup Parmesan, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Stir in the bread and then the soft wheat flour and let stand for about 30 minutes.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Put the 1 cup flour in a wide shallow bowl, then scoop the bread-milk mixture into small balls about the size of a golf ball (an ice cream scoop works great) and drop them in the flour, rolling the balls gently until dusted with flour. Shake off the excess flour. The gnocchi will be loose and soft. Drop the dusted gnocchi in the boiling water, in batches if necessary to prevent overcrowding, and cook until they float, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the boiling water with a slotted spoon or spider strainer and transfer to a bowl or plate.
- Heat the butter over medium heat until deep amber in color, about 5 minutes, swirling the pan for even browning. Don’t let the solids burn on the bottom of the pan. Divide the gnocchi among plates (3 to 4 per serving) and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan. Drizzle with the browned butter and shower with the herbs. Serve immediately. Serves 4-6.
Nutritional information
Per serving: Per serving, based on 4: 752 calories (percent of calories from fat, 46), 24 grams protein, 80 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams fiber, 38 grams total fat (16 grams saturated), 156 milligrams cholesterol, 2,313 milligrams sodium.Adapted from “Mastering Bread” by Marc Vetri and Claire Kopp McWilliams, copyright 2020. Published by Ten Speed, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC.
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About the Author
Ligaya Figueras is the AJC's senior editor for Food & Dining. Prior to joining the AJC in 2015, she was the executive editor for St. Louis-based culinary magazine Sauce. She has worked in the publishing industry since 1999 and holds degrees from St. Louis University and the University of Michigan.
