Gnocchi

Gnocchi (pronounced [ˈɲɔːki] in Italian; singular gnocco) is the Italian name for a variety of thick, soft noodle or dumpling. They may be made from potato, semolina, ordinary wheat flour, bread crumbs, or other ingredients. Outside Italy, "gnocci" generally refers specifically to the kind made from potato, and with uniform shape.




The word gnocco means "lump", and comes from nocchio, a knot in wood. In Roman times, gnocchi were made from a semolina porridge-like dough mixed with eggs, and are still found in similar forms today, particularly in Sardinia. One variety, gnocchi di pane, popular in the Friuli and Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol regions, is made from bread crumbs.





Gnocchi are eaten as entrées (primi piatti) in Italy, as alternatives to minestre ("soups") or pasta.




In Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, and Venezuela, countries where Italian cuisine is especially popular, gnocchi (known as ñoquis in Spanish-speaking countries or nhoque in Brazil) are traditionally eaten on the 29th day of each month, the day before payday, when money was tight and gnocchi were cheap and hearty fare. On these occasions, some people leave a banknote under the plate to attract prosperity. Argentines and Uruguayans still gather each month for "ñoquis del 29" (literally, "gnocchi of the 29th").

In a curious reversal of meaning, in Argentine and Uruguayan slang ñoqui has also become a way to denote a government employee that is listed in the payroll but only shows up to collect his or her paycheck around the 29th of each month. (from Wikipedia)