Gnocchi a la romana with Bull Boar ragu
Gnocchi a la romana with Bull Boar Ragu
We’re proud of our Swiss–Italian heritage in Daylesford. When immigrants came from Italian speaking Ticino region in Switzerland during the goldrush they bought with them their love of wine, pasta and sausages. One hundred and seventy years later their descendent still make their famous bull boar sausages every winter. Minced beef and pork are seasoned with sweet spices such as cinnamon and cloves, garlic and red wine and stuffed into skins. Bull Boar sausages are unique and have been recognised as part of Australia’s food culture by Slow Food in Italy. This dish uses the aromatic and beautifully spiced sausage meat inside the sausages to make a rich, delicious ragu that is topped with golden, buttery discs of semolina gnocchi. Perfect with a cold climate pinot noir from Passing Clouds.
Ingredients
50ml extra-virgin olive oil
100g pancetta, finely diced
500g bull boar sausages
2 medium carrots, peeled, finely diced
2 sticks celery, finely diced
1 medium onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
250ml soft red wine
250ml tomato passata
250ml chicken stock
4 bay leaves
1.125 litres milk
1 teaspoon nutmeg
175g semolina
150g Parmesan cheese
50g salted butter, cubed
2 egg yolks
100g butter, frozen
Salt and pepper
Method
First make the ragu by heating the oil in a large heavy based pan over high heat. Add the pancetta. Cook for a few minutes stirring occasionally. Squeeze the sausage meat from inside the sausages and add to the pan. Use a stiff whisk to break apart the meat. Cook on high until browned. Add the carrots, celery, onion and garlic. Cook for 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Deglaze with the red wine. Add the passata, stock and two bay leaves. When bubbling away, reduce the heat, cover and simmer. For two hours, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, make the semolina gnocchi by heating 1 litre of milk in a heavy-based saucepan over medium heat with the other two bay leaves, nutmeg and a pinch of salt until almost simmering. Reduce heat to low. Slowly add the semolina and whisk it into the milk as you go. Continue to cook for 15-20 minutes stirring regularly with a wooden spoon to prevent sticking. It is done when thick and beginning to come away from the edges. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes before stirring in 2/3 of the parmesan, cubed butter and egg yolks. Season to taste. Spoon out onto a large flat tray covered with lightly oiled baking paper. Smooth the surface. Loosely cover with cling film. Refrigerate.
Finish the ragu by adding the remaining milk and cooking uncovered for a further 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, to thicken it. Pour the ragu into a large rectangular oven-proof dish. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Take a biscuit cutter and cut the semolina into discs. (Dip the cutter in water to prevent sticking). Arrange the discs on top of the ragu. Sprinkle with the remaining parmesan. Grate over the frozen butter. Bake for 30 minutes or until the gnocchi is golden.
See below for printable recipe card
Gnocchi A La Romana With Bull Boar Ragu
Ingredients:
- 50ml extra-virgin olive oil
- 100g pancetta, finely diced
- 500g bull boar sausages
- 2 medium carrots, peeled, finely diced
- 2 sticks celery, finely diced
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 250ml soft red wine
- 250ml tomato passata
- 250ml chicken stock
- 4 bay leaves
- 1.125 litres milk
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 175g semolina
- 150g Parmesan cheese
- 50g salted butter, cubed
- 2 egg yolks
- 100g butter, frozen
- Salt and pepper
Instructions:
- First make the ragu by heating the oil in a large heavy based pan over high heat. Add the pancetta. Cook for a few minutes stirring occasionally. Squeeze the sausage meat from inside the sausages and add to the pan. Use a stiff whisk to break apart the meat. Cook on high until browned. Add the carrots, celery, onion and garlic. Cook for 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Deglaze with the red wine. Add the passata, stock and two bay leaves. When bubbling away, reduce the heat, cover and simmer. For two hours, stirring occasionally.
- Meanwhile, make the semolina gnocchi by heating 1 litre of milk in a heavy-based saucepan over medium heat with the other two bay leaves, nutmeg and a pinch of salt until almost simmering. Reduce heat to low. Slowly add the semolina and whisk it into the milk as you go. Continue to cook for 15-20 minutes stirring regularly with a wooden spoon to prevent sticking. It is done when thick and beginning to come away from the edges. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes before stirring in 2/3 of the parmesan, cubed butter and egg yolks. Season to taste. Spoon out onto a large flat tray covered with lightly oiled baking paper. Smooth the surface. Loosely cover with cling film. Refrigerate.
- Finish the ragu by adding the remaining milk and cooking uncovered for a further 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, to thicken it. Pour the ragu into a large rectangular oven-proof dish. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Take a biscuit cutter and cut the semolina into discs. (Dip the cutter in water to prevent sticking). Arrange the discs on top of the ragu. Sprinkle with the remaining parmesan. Grate over the frozen butter. Bake for 30 minutes or until the gnocchi is golden.