Chickpea Flour Gnocchi

I’ll be happy to help you with a recipe for chickpea flour gnocchi. These gnocchi are an excellent gluten-free alternative to traditional potato gnocchi and have a deliciously rustic flavor thanks to the chickpea flour. Here’s how to prepare them.

Ingredients

• 250 g chickpea flour
• 250 ml water
• Salt to taste
• A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
• (Optional) Aromatic herbs to taste, such as rosemary or sage, for flavoring

Preparation

1. In a saucepan, bring the water to a boil with a pinch of salt and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
2. Reduce the heat and sprinkle in the chickpea flour, whisking vigorously to avoid lumps.
3. Continue stirring until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the pan, forming a compact ball.
4. Remove the dough from the heat and let it cool slightly, until it can be handled with your hands.
5. Dust a work surface with a little chickpea flour and transfer the dough.
6. Divide the dough into portions and roll each portion with your hands to form long, thin cylinders.
7. Cut the cylinders into small pieces to form the gnocchi and, if desired, press each gnocco with a fork to create the classic ridged pattern.
8. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and, once boiling, cook the gnocchi until they float to the surface, indicating they are ready (usually in 2-3 minutes).
9. Drain the gnocchi with a slotted spoon and dress them as desired with a sauce or a simple seasoning like butter and sage or oil and Parmesan.

Fun Facts

Chickpea flour is very common in Mediterranean cuisine and is used not only to make gnocchi or pasta, but also for vegetable frittatas, flatbreads and, in Italy, for the famous Ligurian farinata, a kind of thin, crispy savory cake baked in the oven. These gnocchi are an example of how chickpea flour can be used creatively to offer unexpected and tasty dishes.