Gnocchi with shrimp and stracciatella

/5
Gnocchi with shrimp and stracciatella
SHARE
it de fr es br
  • Difficulty: Average
  • Prep time: 40 min
  • Cook time: 1 h 25 min
  • Serving: 4
  • Cost: Average

PRESENTATION

Gnocchi with shrimp—seriously, it’s a shining example of southern Italian cooking at its best. Imagine those tender homemade potato gnocchi. So soft, everyone loves them. Now, pair that with shrimp tartare and stracciatella cheese for a fancy, but kinda down-to-earth twist. And you know what? This shrimp gnocchi recipe stands out because of the way the flavors blend: there’s a rich cherry tomato sauce that’s no ordinary sauce. It gets a big boost from a homemade bisque made from crustacean shells. So... You get all those sweet and creamy seafood notes in every bite.

Folks along the Italian coast are known for mixing fresh seafood with local pasta. This dish? It keeps that tradition alive—just with a more elegant vibe. And listen, many think of gnocchi with shrimp as perfect for special occasions. It’s easy to see why. Really, it’s true. The whole dish feels luxurious, especially with the cool mix of moist shrimp, soft gnocchi, and the creamy pull of stracciatella. Southern Italian kitchens, especially seaside towns, often serve dishes like this for romantic dinners or celebrations. There’s just something magical about how seafood and pasta come together.

The addition of stracciatella cheese—a favorite in stracciatella cheese recipes—adds an extra touch of richness. It pairs perfectly with the delicate flavors of the shrimp. This dish is all about balance: bringing together tender pasta, sweet shrimp, and that lush cheese for something both comforting and impressive. Whether you’re into creamy gnocchi dishes or just eager to try a really, really good Italian seafood pasta, this one's bound to make everyone at the table happy. You end up with a dish that’s homey and a bit showy. For real. It’s the kind of meal that makes any occasion feel special. Plus, it’s a great way to experience the best of Italian coastal culinary traditions—right from your own kitchen.

You might also like:

INGREDIENTS

For the gnocchi
Potatoes 2.2 lbs (1 kg)
Type 00 flour 2 ½ cups (300 g)
Eggs 1
Fine salt to taste
For the shrimp
Shrimps 2.1 lbs (950 g) - (to clean)
Lemon peel 1
Basil to taste
Fine salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
For the bisque
Water 1 ⅓ cup (320 g) - cold
Shallot 1
Tomato paste 1 ½ tbsp (20 g)
Brandy 1 ½ tbsp (20 g)
Extra virgin olive oil 0.7 tbsp (10 g)
For the sauce
Datterino tomatoes 1.1 lbs (500 g)
Extra virgin olive oil to taste
Garlic 2 cloves
Fine salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
To finish
Stracciatella cheese 3.5 oz (100 g)
Lemon peel 1
Basil to taste
Preparation

How to prepare Gnocchi with shrimp and stracciatella

To prepare the gnocchi with shrimp and stracciatella, first boil the potatoes for about 35 minutes 1. Drain and let them cool slightly, then mash them on the work surface over the flour arranged in a fountain 2. Add the salt 3.

Add the egg as well 4 and knead first with a fork 5 and then with your hands until you obtain a smooth and homogeneous dough 6.

Work with one portion of dough at a time 7, taking care to cover the remaining dough with a cloth to prevent it from drying out. Dust the work surface with semolina and form rolls 3/4 inch thick, then cut them into pieces 8. Put some semolina on the gnocchi board and gently roll each piece over it 9. Place the gnocchi on a clean cloth dusted with semolina as you go.

Now focus on the How to clean shrimp: remove the head 10, remove the shell 11 and keep them aside for the bisque. Cut along the back and remove the vein 12, then store the peeled shrimp in the fridge until ready to use.

In a pot, pour a drizzle of oil, add the shallot cut into 4 13, and sauté for a few minutes. At this point, add the shrimp heads and shells 14 and crush with a ladle 15.

Deglaze with the brandy 16 and let all the alcohol evaporate. Pour cold water into the pot 17 and add the tomato paste 18.

Cook for 30 minutes from boiling point 19. After this time, strain the bisque through a fine sieve 20 and set aside. Move on to the sauce: wash and halve the cherry tomatoes 21.

In a pan, heat a drizzle of oil with the garlic cloves 22, then add the cherry tomatoes 23, salt, and pepper 34.

Pour 1-2 ladles of bisque into the pan 25 and cook for 15 minutes over medium heat. Once cooked, remove the garlic and blend the tomatoes with an immersion blender 26. Strain the mixture to make it even smoother and creamier 27, then transfer it back to the pan.

Finely chop the peeled shrimp with a knife 28 and transfer them to a small bowl. Season with oil 29, salt, and pepper 30.

Flavor with lemon zest 31 and chopped basil 32, then mix gently 33.

At this point, cook the gnocchi in plenty of salted boiling water 34. As soon as they float to the surface, drain them into the pan 35. Stir and cook for about a minute 36.

At the end of cooking, add a few basil leaves 37. Plate and finish with the shrimp tartare 38 and stracciatella 39.

Finally, garnish with grated lemon zest 40 and a few basil leaves 41. Your gnocchi with shrimp and stracciatella are ready to be served 42!

Storage

It is recommended to consume the gnocchi with shrimp and stracciatella immediately after preparation.

Tip

You can replace stracciatella with coarsely chopped burrata for an even richer flavor.

Straining the cherry tomato sauce will allow you to remove the skins and achieve a smooth and velvety consistency.

For safe consumption of raw, marinated, or undercooked fish

Before consuming raw, marinated, or undercooked fish, it is recommended to freeze for at least 96 hours at 0°F in a home freezer marked with 3 or more stars, as per health ministry guidelines.

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.
SHARE
/5

RELATED RECIPES