Recipe from Big Mamma Pasta: 150 of the best Italian pasta recipes (White Lion Publishing), Published 8th October 2026
Gnocchi di farina di castagne ai funghi
For the chestnut flour gnocchi
ingredients
- For the chestnut flour gnocchi
- 400g (14oz) potatoes (preferably yellow floury potatoes: they contain less water, which means you can use less flour. The result? Lighter, more delicious gnocchi)
- 100g (3 ½ oz) chestnut flour
- 50–70g (1 ¾ –2 ¼ oz) type 00 flour (adjust the amount depending on the moisture content of your dough)
- Salt QB
- For the mushroom sauce
- 300–400g (10 ½ –14oz) fresh mushrooms (ideally a forest mix with porcini, oyster mushrooms or chanterelles)
- 1 garlic clove
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 knob of butter (optional, but recommended for added flavour)
- Fresh parsley
- Salt and pepper QB
method
- Step 1. Make your gnocchi: cook the whole potatoes, with their skins on, in a large saucepan of salted boiling water. Once tender, peel them while still hot (be careful not to burn your fingers) and mash them with a potato masher – do not use a blender, as this will turn your mixture into an elastic purée, which is not the desired result. Leave to cool, then add the sifted chestnut flour, a little flour for consistency and a pinch of salt. Knead with the palms of your hands until you obtain a smooth, even dough. If it sticks a little, add a pinch more flour.
- Step 2. Then it’s time to shape them, so roll up your sleeves, take a look at page 399, and let’s get started. Line up your gnocchi on a clean, floured tea towel, without stacking them, they need space, just like everyone else.
- Step 3. Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. Clean the mushrooms by brushing them and wiping them with a damp cloth. Cut them into strips and fry them in a large frying pan with a generous dash of olive oil and the crushed garlic for 6–8 minutes over a medium heat until they release their water and brown slightly. Add a knob of butter, salt, pepper and finish with the parsley.
- Step 4. Your kitchen should start to smell like the forest floor. Cook the gnocchi in a large saucepan of simmering salted water. Tip: they are ready when they rise to the surface (allow about 2–3 minutes). Drain them gently with a slotted spoon – taking care to keep a ladleful of cooking water – and add them directly to the pan with the mushrooms. Mix gently, adding a little of your pasta water to bind the sauce if necessary.
- Step 5. This rustic dish, typical of the Tuscan Apennines, is true Italian comfort food: simple, generous and deeply comforting. Serve immediately to lift your spirits, sprinkling a little chopped parsley on top before tasting.
