Aliza Green is an award-winning Philadelphia-based author, journalist, and influential chef whose books include The Butcher's Apprentice, Making Artisan Pasta (Quarry Books, 2012),The Fishmonger's Apprentice (Quarry Books, 2010), Starting with Ingredients: Baking (Running Press, 2008), Starting with Ingredients (Running Press, 2006), four perennially popular Field Guides to food (Quirk, 2004–2007), Beans: More than 200 Delicious, Wholesome Recipes from Around the World (Running Press, 2004), and successful collaborations with renowned chefs Guillermo Pernot and Georges Perrier. A former food columnist for the Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia Daily News, and Cooking Light magazine, Green is known for her encyclopedic knowledge of every possible ingredient, its history, culture, and use in the kitchen and bakery and for her lively story-telling. Green also leads culinary tours. Green's books have garnered high praise from critics, readers, and culinary professionals alike, including a James Beard award for "Best Single-Subject Cookbook" in 2001 for Ceviche!: Seafood, Salads, and Cocktails with a Latino Twist (Running Press, 2001), which she co-authored with Chef Guillermo Pernot. For more information about Aliza's books and tours or to send her a message, visit her website at www.alizagreen.com.

Steve Legato is a freelance photographer specializing in food, restaurant industry, cookbooks and advertising. His work has been featured in Art Culinaire, The New York Times, Food and Wine, Wine Spectator, Food Arts, GQ, Departures, Wine & Spirits, Travel & Leisure, Philadelphia Magazine, Delaware Today, New Jersey Monthly and Main Line Today. He resides just outside of Philadelphia, PA. Visit his website at http://www.stevelegato.com.

Cesare Casella is an Italian chef, restaurateur, writer, consultant, and educator. He is Dean of Italian Studies at the International Culinary Center in New York City, which is also home to The French Culinary Institute. He is also Chief of DNA, The Department of Nourishment Arts® at The Center for Discovery where he works to raise awareness about healthy eating for children and adults with developmental disabilities. He is the founder of some of New York’s best-loved Italian restaurants, including Beppe and Maremma.

Semolina Gnocchi (Gnocchi Alla Romana)

In Rome, Thursdays are the day when many restaurants and home cooks serve gnocchi in this style, a local specialty. The traditional presentation is to layer the circles of pasta in overlapping rings into a dome shape. Here, they are in a single layer for better browning. In Sardinia, semolina gnocchi are known as pillas and are sauced with meat ragu and grated pecorino Sardo and browned in the oven.

- 3 1/2 cups (825 ml) whole milk

- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt

- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

- 1/2 pound (225 g) semolina

- 1 large egg, at room temperature

- 2 egg yolks

- 2 ounces (55 g), or about 3⁄4 cup, grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese or Grana Padano cheese, plus extra for sprinkling on top

- 6 tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter, softened

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: 2-inch (5-cm) round cookie cutter; 2-quart (1.9-L) shallow baking dish or gratin dish

YIELD: about forty 2-inch (5-cm) gnocchi, serves 6 to 8

1. Bring milk with salt and nutmeg to a simmer in a 2- to 3-quart (1.9- to 2.8-L) heavy saucepan (not aluminum, which will discolor the mix) over moderately low heat. Add semolina in a slow stream while constantly stirring to prevent lumps.

2. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or a heavy whisk until the mixture begins to pull away from the sides of the pan, about 5 minutes (mixture will be very stiff).

3. Remove from heat, cool slightly, then beat in eggs and yolks. Beat in 1/2 cup (50 g) of the cheese and 3 tablespoons (45 g) of the butter, and stir or whisk until mixture is smooth.

4. Spread gnocchi mixture into a 1/2-inch (1-cm)–thick slab on an oiled or parchment paper–lined baking sheet using a lightly oiled silicone spatula. Press plastic wrap or parchment paper over top and smooth the top with the palms of your hands. Chill until cold and firm, about 1 hour. This amount fills a 10 x 15- inch (25 x 38-cm) jelly-roll pan perfectly.

5. Preheat the oven to 450ºF (230ºC, or gas mark 8). Rub a medium shallow baking dish (or a French gratin dish) with 1 tablespoon (15 g) of butter.

6. Have ready a bowl of cold water. Cut out "coins" from gnocchi mixture using a 2-inch (5-cm) ridged or plain round cookie cutter. Rinse the cutter in water after each cut. Reserve the scraps. At the end, gather all the scraps together and push them together to form another small 1/2-inch (1-cm)–thick slab and cut out more coins.

7. Gently transfer the coins (they will be soft) to the baking dish, overlapping them slightly. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and dot with the remaining butter. (You may cover and refrigerate the gnocchi up to 2 days before baking. Allow 40 minutes for baking.)

8. Bake the gnocchi in the upper third of the oven 25 minutes, or until the gnocchi are slightly puffed and lightly browned. If desired, place under a preheated broiler for 2 minutes to brown the top, standing by to make sure the tops don’t burn. Let the gnocchi stand 5 minutes to firm up before serving.