Amore de Lago brings a lighter, fluffier gnocchi dish to Greensboro

“Gnocchi are traditionally made with potatoes in my country, but I wanted to make this lighter and fluffier,” says Andrea Rodella, executive chef at Amore de Lago , an Italian restaurant at the Ritz-Carlton Reynolds, Lake Oconee. Raised in northern Italy and hailing from a family of cooks, Rodella recreates recipes from his childhood at the popular lake resort in Greensboro, Georgia. For the gnudi di ricotta, he mixes ricotta cheese with egg, flour, salt, lemon zest, nutmeg, and Parmigiano-Reggiano (much like a traditional ravioli filling) to create lighter, more pillowy gnocchi than the denser potato version. “Then we sear it, giving it a nutty brown butter flavor,” he notes. The delicate dumplings are tossed with a lemon double-cream sauce flavored with garlic, thyme, and shallots. Matchstick asparagus, English peas, arugula, and squash blossoms add more flavor and texture, and goat cheese balances the creaminess with some acidity. Plated with a bright pea puree and edible purple starflowers, the entree is as lovely to the eye as to the taste buds. Rodella recommends choosing a rosé—still or sparkling—to complement the dish, best enjoyed on the restaurant’s covered patio with serene lake views.

This article appears in the Summer 2024 issue of Southbound .

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