Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Heavy-bottomed 3-quart saucepan
• •Sturdy whisk
• •Rimmed baking sheet or marble surface for spreading
• •2-inch round cutter or drinking glass
• •9-by-13-inch baking dish or oval gratin dish

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare your surface

   Lightly oil a large rimmed baking sheet or marble surface. You will spread the hot semolina here, so have it ready before you begin. There is no pausing once the cooking starts.

2. 2

   Heat the milk

   Pour the milk into a heavy-bottomed 3-quart saucepan. Add the salt. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, watching carefully. Milk scorches easily and boils over without warning. When small bubbles form around the edge and steam rises from the surface, reduce the heat to low.

   Use whole milk. Reduced-fat milk produces a gummy, unpleasant texture. The fat is essential.
3. 3

   Add the semolina

   Pour the semolina into the hot milk in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly as you pour. Do not dump it in all at once or you will have lumps. Continue whisking until the mixture thickens and begins to pull away from the sides of the pan, 8 to 10 minutes. The whisk will stand upright in the center. Your arm will tire. This is how you know you are working.

   Coarse semolina gives the proper texture. The finely ground semolina rimacinata used for pasta is too powdery here and produces a pasty result.
4. 4

   Enrich the mixture

   Remove the pot from heat. Working quickly, stir in 2 tablespoons of the butter until melted, then the egg yolks one at a time, stirring vigorously after each. Add 3/4 cup of the Parmigiano and the nutmeg. Stir until everything is incorporated. The mixture should be smooth and thick, like soft polenta.

5. 5

   Spread and cool

   Immediately scrape the semolina onto your prepared surface. Using a spatula dipped in cold water, spread it into an even layer about 1/2 inch thick. Work quickly; it firms as it cools. Let it rest until completely cool and set, at least 30 minutes at room temperature. You may refrigerate it for up to 24 hours at this point.

6. 6

   Cut the rounds

   Heat the oven to 425°F. Using a 2-inch round cutter or the rim of a drinking glass, cut the semolina into rounds. A glass works perfectly well. Dip the cutter in cold water between cuts to prevent sticking. Gather the scraps, press them together gently, and cut more rounds. Every bit should be used.

7. 7

   Arrange in the dish

   Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish or oval gratin dish generously. Arrange the semolina rounds in overlapping rows, like roof tiles or fallen dominoes. Each round should cover about half of the one before it. Scatter any small scraps between the rows. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and drizzle it evenly over the top. Shower with the remaining Parmigiano and a few grinds of black pepper.

   The overlapping arrangement is not merely decorative. It creates layers of texture: crisp exposed edges, creamy centers where rounds meet.
8. 8

   Bake until golden

   Bake in the upper third of the oven until the top is deeply golden and the butter is bubbling around the edges, 20 to 25 minutes. The cheese should form a thin crust with spots of deeper brown. Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve it hot, directly from the dish.

Chef Tips

• •The semolina must be coarse, not finely ground. Look for packages labeled 'semolina' without qualifiers, or seek out Italian brands at specialty grocers. Finely milled semolina flour for pasta produces a gluey result.
• •Do not be tempted to add cream. Romans do not add cream to this dish, and neither should you. The butter provides all the richness required.
• •You may prepare the semolina through the cooling step up to a day ahead. Refrigerate it covered, then cut and bake when ready. The dish is ideal for entertaining.
• •Leftover gnocchi reheat well in a 375°F oven until heated through and crisp on top, about 15 minutes. They are nearly as good the second day.

Advance Preparation

• •The semolina can be cooked, spread, and cooled up to 24 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Cut into rounds and bake directly from the refrigerator, adding 5 minutes to the baking time.
• •The assembled dish, unbaked, can wait in the refrigerator for up to 4 hours before baking.
• •Baked gnocchi are best served immediately but will keep, covered, for 2 days. Reheat uncovered at 375°F until hot and crisp.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 210g)