Creamy Saffron Gnocchi

This gnocchi in a simple saffron cream was inspired by a recent trip Edwin and I took to Italy.

We rented a car and roadtripped throughout Tuscany, Umbria, Napoli and Amalfi, but this perfect little dish that we had in the mountain region of Abruzzo is the one that’s been stamped in my memory the most.

If you ever find yourself in Abruzzo, close to the Gran Sasso National Park, stop in to a little trattoria called Le Quattro Ville to get the saffron gnocchi that inspired this recipe — and please say hello to Nonna for us.

Saffron Gnocchi Ingredients

When I was trying to figure out how to make this dish, I kept remembering one specific fact: Italians use very simple ingredients in a beautiful way.

And so I edited out a ton of extras that I’d typically include, and kept this recipe as simple as I could — and just like that, this dish absolutely sings.

Gnocchi: If you look at the photo of the original dish, you may notice that Nonna’s gnocchis are longer than the ones found in the USA… and have no designs. If you want to replicate that, you can use my Fresh Gnocchi recipe and simply cut the gnocchis a bit longer and keep them plain. For today though, I used this De Cecco store bought potato gnocchi.

Saffron: Cultivated in Abruzzo, Italy, saffron is a popular flavor used in many dishes throughout Abruzzo (and nearby regions like Umbria and Tuscany). You can get saffron threads here to use. In order to make these threads into a powder, I use my mortar and pestle with a pinch of salt and sugar and grind them up.

Heavy cream: This is to make the saffron cream sauce.

Ricotta: You’ll be using two types of ricotta. A whole milk ricotta for the base of the dish, and then ricotta salata, a soft sheep’s milk cheese, to grate on top. (Note: In my picture I used some Parmiagiano-Reggianno that I had on hand, but Ricotta Salata is much better for this dish — and just how Nonna did it!).

Parsley: For garnish.

How to Make Creamy Saffron Gnocchi

Here’s exactly what I do to make this saffron gnocchi.

Step 1: Grind the saffron.

Take your saffron and add it to a mortar and pestle with a small pinch of salt and another small pinch of sugar. Then, grind everything together until it become a fine powder.

Step 2: Infuse the cream.

Next just add the saffron powder to the cream and mix together. Let that infuse for at least a half and hour.

Step 3: Heat up the sauce and make the gnocchi.

This now happens simultaneously. While you’re getting water to boil for the gnocchi, add the saffron-infused cream to a skillet along with a pinch of salt. Let that warm up on low (if you have it too high you can burn the cream). Make sure to keep stirring it. When the water is boiling, add the gnocchi. Once they float, immediately take the gnocchi and add it directly to the cream.

Step 4: Thicken the sauce.

Now, just turn the heat up a bit, stirring the gnocchi into the cream, and allow it to thicken together. This should only take a couple of minutes, so make sure you watch it so that you don’t evaporate all the cream away! Then, add the parsley.

Step 5: Plate the dish.

Now, add a layer of ricotta to a plate, forming it into a circle. Top with the saffron gnocchi and then add a grating of ricotta salata on top.