Italian-Argentine potato gnocchi eaten on the 29th of every month, with a peso slipped under the plate for luck. Argentina's most superstitious meal.

The 29th-of-the-month gnocchi ritual came with Italian immigrants in the late 19th and early 20th century. The story: salaries ran out before month-end, so families ate cheap potato gnocchi on the 29th and slipped a coin under the plate to attract more money. Almost every porteno restaurant serves them on the 29th.

Where to eat Ñoquis del 29 in Buenos Aires

3 editor picks for Ñoquis del 29 in Buenos Aires, ranked by editorial score. All Buenos Aires signature dishes · Ñoquis del 29 across every city.

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Make it at home

Serves 41 hr 30 minIntermediate

Ingredients

  • 1 kg floury potatoes (yukon gold or russet), unpeeled
  • 300g plain flour, plus more for dusting
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
  • For tomato sauce: 800g canned tomatoes; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 2 garlic cloves; 1 small onion; basil
  • Parmesan, grated, to serve

Method

  1. Boil potatoes in their skins until tender, 30-40 minutes. Drain. While still warm, peel and pass through a ricer onto a clean surface.
  2. Let the riced potato cool to lukewarm. Make a well, add the egg yolk, salt and nutmeg.
  3. Sprinkle 250g of flour over the potato. Bring together gently with your hands; add more flour only if the dough is sticking, until it just holds.
  4. Roll the dough into 1.5cm-thick ropes. Cut into 2cm pieces. Roll each piece off the back of a fork to ridge.
  5. Make tomato sauce: gently cook garlic and onion in oil 8 minutes, add tomatoes, simmer 20 minutes, finish with basil.
  6. Boil gnocchi in salted water, about 1 minute, until they bob to the surface. Lift out with a slotted spoon directly into the sauce.
  7. Toss gently, plate, finish with grated parmesan.

Editor tip. Use mealy potatoes, never waxy. Old potatoes (low moisture) make better gnocchi than new ones.

Common allergens: Gluten, Egg.