P
Italian · Friuli-Venezia Giulia
Gnocchi di Susine alla Friulana Dolce con Zucchero e Cannella
A sweet variant of the plum dumplings traditional in both Friuli and the adjacent Slovenian and Austrian Alpine cultures — potato dough formed around sugar-filled fresh plums (when in season) or candied plums, boiled until the dough is cooked and the fruit softens inside, then rolled in toasted breadcrumbs and served with melted butter, sugar and cinnamon. The dish straddles the line between a first course and a dessert.
I
The Market List
The benchmark for each ingredient, and who stocks it near you. Tap a stockist to go straight to the product.
For the potato dough
800 g
floury potatoes
baked in their skins, never boiled, then riced while hot
Origin · FranceLekker · Vancouver →
200 g
plain flour
plus extra for dusting
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
2
eggs
lightly beaten
Your own market
1 tsp
fine salt
Your own market
For the filling
12
Santa Rosa or Susine di Fiaschetto plums
slightly underripe, whole, stoned through the stem end with a skewer
Origin · New ZealandPurely Artisan Foods · San Diego →
12
sugar cubes
one per plum, inserted into the cavity left by the stone
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
For the breadcrumb finish
80 g
dry white breadcrumbs
Your own market
60 g
unsalted butter
for frying the breadcrumbs
Your own market
To serve
60 g
unsalted butter
melted
Your own market
40 g
caster sugar
Your own market
1 tsp
ground cinnamon
Your own market
Each tap is counted, so the stockist sees the demand Provenance sends them.
II
The Method
1
Bake the potatoes in their skins until completely tender throughout, so the skin acts as a barrier and the flesh stays dry rather than absorbing water as it would if boiled. Halve them, scoop out the flesh, and pass it immediately through a potato ricer onto a clean work surface. Spread it and allow it to steam-dry for several minutes until dry to the touch — no surface moisture.
2
Mound the riced potato and make a well at the centre. Add the flour, beaten eggs, and salt, then work the mixture together with your hands, drawing the flour in from the edges, so the dough comes together gradually and you can judge its texture before it is overworked. It should be firm and cohesive, not sticky; if it clings to the board, incorporate a little more flour in small additions.
3
Stone each plum through the stem end using a skewer, keeping the plum whole so the skin holds its shape around the cavity. Press a sugar cube firmly into the space left by the stone, where it will melt during cooking and perfume the fruit from the inside.
4
Divide the dough into twelve equal pieces and flatten each in the palm of the hand into a disc large enough to enclose one plum. Set the plum at the centre, bring the dough up and around it, and press firmly with both hands to close every seam completely — this is where the dish lives or dies, because any gap in the seal will allow water to enter during cooking, collapsing the plum and opening the dumpling. Roll each lightly on the board to neaten, then refrigerate the formed dumplings for 20 minutes so the cold firms the dough and sets the seams.
5
While the dumplings rest, fry the breadcrumbs in 60 g of butter over a moderate heat, stirring constantly, until they are dark golden and crisp, so the butter toasts out of them and they hold their crunch even after being rolled around the hot, moist dumplings. They should colour deeply — pale breadcrumbs will stay soft and give no textural contrast. Tip onto a plate and reserve.
6
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to the boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer before lowering the chilled dumplings in in batches without crowding, so each one has room to move freely without knocking against its neighbours. Cook at a steady, quiet simmer for 10–12 minutes, keeping the heat low because vigorous boiling batters the seam open before the fruit has time to soften. The dumplings are ready when they have risen to the surface and floated there for a further two minutes.
7
Remove the dumplings with a slotted spoon and drain briefly. Roll them immediately in the toasted breadcrumbs until fully coated, so the crumbs adhere while the surface is still moist and warm. Arrange on warmed plates, spoon over the melted butter, and dust generously with the mixed caster sugar and cinnamon. Serve at once.
III
Quality Hierarchy
01
Reserve — Susine di Fiaschetto plums at peak seasonal ripeness, still firm; potatoes from a single named floury variety, freshly baked; artisan dry breadcrumbs from day-old white bread; raw cane sugar cubes.
02
Estate — Santa Rosa plums, slightly underripe and sourced from a known grower; good quality floury potatoes baked the same day; homemade breadcrumbs; standard white sugar cubes.
03
Market — Any firm, slightly underripe small plum available at market; supermarket floury potatoes baked, not boiled; commercial dry breadcrumbs toasted with care to deep colour.
04
House — Candied plums substituted for fresh when fresh plums are out of season; potatoes baked rather than boiled regardless of variety; packet breadcrumbs, well-fried to at least partial crispness.
IV
Sensory Tests
◇Touch. The riced potato feels dry and cool to the hand — no surface moisture.
◇Touch. The finished dough is firm and non-sticky, pulling cleanly from the board.
◇Touch. Each sealed dumpling feels smooth and tight under both palms — no seam can be detected by pressing gently around the circumference.
◇Sight. The breadcrumbs in the pan are dark golden throughout, not pale or patchy.
◇Sight. The dumplings have risen to the surface of the simmering water and float there for a full two minutes.
◇Where it lives or dies. The seal around each plum must be complete and firm before the dumpling enters the water — any gap allows water to penetrate, the plum collapses and the dumpling opens.
Pillar V
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VI
What to Pour
The pairing
Sparkling wine
From British Columbia
2023 seven stars VEGA
Township 7 Vineyards & Winery · Naramata Bench
Township 7 Vineyards & Winery · Penticton →Sparkling wine
Without alcohol
No pour without alcohol holds against this yet.
Each tap is counted, so the stockist sees the demand Provenance sends them.
Why each one works is part of membership — Enter · from $49 a year →
The whole pairingPillar VII
Origin and lineage are part of membership.
Where the dish comes from and how it came to be — on every recipe.
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Sourced through Provenance