Do you like dumplings? Depending on the country of production, they go with by very different names, and they come in very different variants. The Italian version can be identified as “Gnocchi”, but this time we will prepare them in a very international way, paired with one of our finest bottles. Here’s our delicious recipe!

Apple gnocchi can be an unexpectedly delightful dish, by which you can surprise your guests. They work well both as an unconventional dessert and as a uniquely original sweet first course. For this reason, you can alternate by choosing a slight variation adding a pinch of salt to the dough, reducing (or omitting) the cinnamon, and seasoning them with some other savoury ingredients like radicchio and walnuts for a delightful contrast of flavours and textures. Is your mouth watery already?

Let’s see together how to prepare these dumplings step by step: first, cook the apples in a non-stick pan with sugar and cinnamon over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally for 10-15 minutes or until softened. Then, blend the cooked apples into a puree. Pour the apple puree over the flour and knead quickly until you achieve a smooth dough. Divide the dough into several pieces, cut each into a cord approximately 2 cm thick, and then cut into pieces approximately 3 cm long. Dust the tines of a fork with flour and quickly roll the pieces over them to create the typical “gnocchi” lines.

For cooking, boil them in plenty of already boiling water, drain with a skimmer as they rise to the surface, and sauté in a pan with honey and cinnamon. Finally, decorate them as desired with chopped hazelnuts or other dried fruit of your choice. The apple gnocchi/dumplings are ready to be served and will surely captivate your guests!

We hear you: you need the perfect wine to accompany this special gift. Turns out we have something that is absolutely a perfect match! Our Farnito chardonnay IGT 2021 is what you’re looking for. This bottle is crafted from grapes cultivated on our Chianciano/Montepulciano estate, situated at an elevation of 300 meters (1,000 feet) above sea level. Chardonnay grapes are employed for this wine. The meticulously selected clusters are typically harvested between the last week of August and the first week of September. They are promptly transported to the crusher in small boxes to shield them from any potential damage before vinification. The winemaking process involves low-temperature maceration on the skins and a slow, meticulous fermentation of the must initiated by carefully chosen yeasts. To ensure the yeasts and all solids formed during fermentation remain in suspension, the must is regularly agitated. During winter, the wine is racked off and transferred to barrels for a brief aging period before bottling. Prior to release, the wine undergoes bottle aging in our temperature-controlled cellars at 13°C (55°F).

Its color presents as straw yellow with tawny reflections. The aroma is harmonious and persistent, featuring notes of tropical fruit and spices, complemented by hints of citrus and vanilla. The taste is dry, soft, savory, and harmonious. The optimal serving temperature ranges between 10-15 °C. With this bottle and these incredible dumplings recipe, your guests will sure be delighted as well as surprised