At Marnong Estate, lunch rarely feels rushed.

Tables fill, glasses are poured, and before long the afternoon settles in. The vineyard stretches out beyond the dining room, wide and open, setting the pace without needing to say a word.

The Marnong Table is a way to bring a small part of that experience home—recipes that reflect what’s served here, shaped by the landscape around them.

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Created by La Vètta Kitchen

Signature dining at Marnong Estate

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A Dish Worth Sitting Down For

Gnocchi alle Cicale is built around simplicity, but it’s the kind that relies on care.

Soft gnocchi are folded through a warm Moreton Bay bug brodo, finished with butter, garlic, and a touch of chilli. The sauce is light but full of flavour, carrying the sweetness of the seafood without overwhelming it.

Everything works together quietly—the gnocchi holding their shape, the brodo coating each piece, the parsley lifting it at the end.

It’s not complicated, but it’s precise. And that’s what makes it memorable.

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Where It Belongs

At Marnong, this is the kind of dish that lands in the middle of the table and doesn’t stay there long.

It’s shared between plates, eaten slowly, and paired with a glass of Single Vineyard Fiano. The wine cuts through the butter and brings a fresh edge to the dish, balancing each bite.

Outside, the vines sit still in the distance. Inside, the table settles into that point where no one is in a hurry to leave.

That’s the moment this dish is made for.

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Gnocchi alle Cicale Recipe

Gnocchi in Moreton Bay Bug Brodo
Serves 4

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Ingredients

For the Gnocchi:
500g potatoes, peeled
25g grated Parmigiano Reggiano
175g plain flour (or 115g if using gluten-free flour)
7g fine salt
1 egg

– OR –
500g quality store-bought gnocchi

For the Sauce:
300g Moreton Bay bug meat, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small red chilli, finely chopped (to taste)
2 knobs unsalted butter (or more to taste)
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
500ml Marnong Estate Moreton Bay Bug Brodo
Handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped
Flaky salt and cracked black pepper, to season

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Method

1. Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender. Drain well and allow steam to escape. While still warm, mash or pass through a ricer until smooth.
   Add Parmesan, flour, salt, and egg. Bring together gently into a soft dough.

   (Skip to Step 3 if using store-bought gnocchi.)

2. Lightly flour your bench. Roll the dough into 2cm-thick logs and cut into bite-sized pieces. Dust with flour and set aside.
3. In a wide pan, heat olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add garlic and chilli, cooking briefly until fragrant.
4. Pour in the Moreton Bay Bug Brodo and bring to a gentle simmer. Add the bug meat and cook for 2–3 minutes until just opaque. Adjust butter if needed.
5. Cook the gnocchi in salted boiling water until they float. Allow a further 30 seconds, then drain.
6. Add gnocchi to the sauce, folding gently. Finish with parsley, salt, and cracked black pepper.

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To Serve

Serve straight away, with the brodo spooned over generously. Finish with parsley and a drizzle of olive oil.

Pair with Marnong Estate Single Vineyard Fiano.

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A Reason to Come Back

You can recreate this dish at home, and it will still be good.

But it’s different when it’s eaten here—when the table fills, the wine is poured, and the afternoon stretches just a little longer than expected.

That’s the part that doesn’t translate to a recipe.

At Marnong Estate, the table is more than a place to dine—it’s where atmosphere, flavour, and landscape come together.

Framed by rolling vineyards and open skies, every dish served at Marnong reflects a sense of place. Long lunches stretch into the afternoon, desserts are shared, and the experience lingers well beyond the final course.

The Marnong Table is an extension of that experience—bringing signature recipes from the estate into your home.

Created by Itallo Sampaio

Head Pastry Chef of Marnong Estate

What Makes This Oreo Brownie Recipe So Special

A NOSTALGIC INDULGENCE, ELEVATED.

This Oreo brownie brings together familiarity and refinement—taking a classic flavour and elevating it through technique and balance.

A base of dark chocolate and butter creates a rich, glossy foundation, while almond meal adds depth and structure. A touch of sea salt enhances the intensity of the chocolate, cutting through the sweetness with precision.

Folded throughout, broken Oreo pieces introduce texture and contrast—soft, fudgy layers meeting moments of crunch.

Baked until just set, the centre remains dense and smooth. Served warm, it softens into a rich, indulgent finish. Chilled, it becomes firmer—almost truffle-like in texture.

It’s a dessert that feels both familiar and considered, designed to be shared.

From our kitchen to yours

At Marnong Estate, desserts are part of the experience—they arrive at the table to be enjoyed together, extending the moment rather than concluding it.

This recipe carries that same intention.

Whether served after a long lunch, shared with guests, or enjoyed as a quiet indulgence, it brings a sense of the estate into your home.

Oreo Brownie Recipe

Serves 1 slab (15cm x 20cm)

INGREDIENTS

800g caster sugar
350g water
270g dark chocolate
350g unsalted butter, room temperature
270g whole eggs
150g gluten-free flour (or 115g plain flour)
100g almond meal
10g sea salt
250g Oreo cookies, roughly broken
Extra sea salt, for finishing

 

METHOD

1. Off the heat, combine caster sugar and water in a saucepan. Stir until the sugar has fully dissolved. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until the syrup reaches 116–118°C.
2. Using a heatproof bowl set over a pot of gently simmering water, melt the dark chocolate slowly, stirring occasionally. Once fully melted, add the butter and stir until smooth and incorporated. Remove from the heat and set aside. 
3. Place the eggs into the bowl of a stand mixer. When the sugar syrup reaches 116°C, pour it in slowly while mixing on high speed. Continue whipping until the mixture is pale, airy, and cooled to room temperature. 
4. Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually pour in the chocolate and butter mixture. Mix until just combined. 
5. In a separate bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, almond meal, and sea salt. Add to the wet mixture and mix on low speed until just incorporated. Do not overmix. 
6. Grease and line a 15 x 20cm baking tin with oil spray and baking paper. Pour in half the batter, then evenly scatter the Oreo cookie pieces over the top. Add the remaining batter and smooth the surface. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt. 
7. Bake at 170°C for 30–40 minutes, depending on your oven. The brownie is perfectly baked when a probe inserted into the centre reads 96°C. It may appear slightly underdone but will firm up as it cools. 
8. Allow to cool completely in the tin before slicing.
   To serve: Serve on its own or warm with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream for a rich and indulgent finish. 

A TASTE OF MARNONG WHEREEVER YOU ARE

This is more than a dessert—it’s a reflection of shared moments, considered flavours, and the quiet luxury of time spent at the table.

A small piece of Marnong, brought into your home.

We believe good food and estate-grown wine are made to be enjoyed together. We’re sharing this deliziosa ricetta so you can bring a little of the Marnong experience into your own home—creating a beautiful moment around the table, just as we do here at the estate, con amore.

 

A Tuscan classic reimagined.

Rich in tradition and bold in flavour, this slow-cooked duck ragù is a celebration of regional Italian cooking. Crafted with care and layered with depth, it brings the warmth of the countryside into the luxury of your dining room.

Succulent Aylesbury duck, aromatic herbs, and a reduction of Marnong Estate Sangiovese creates a ragù rich in depth and elegance. The wine’s vibrant cherry notes and earthy undertones elevate the slow-cooked sauce, balancing the richness of the duck with finesse. Simmered with garden vegetables and heirloom tomatoes, the flavours intensify, resulting in a velvety ragù that pairs beautifully with fresh pappardelle, pillowy gnocchi, or creamy polenta. Finished with Parmigiano Reggiano, this dish is a celebration of slow food and seasonal produce—comforting, refined, and unforgettable.

 

This recipe serves four

 

INGREDIENTS

2 Aylesbury duck legs
1 carrot, small dice
2 celery stalks, small dice
1 large brown onion, small dice
2 fresh bay leaves
A few sprigs of sage
A few sprigs of rosemary
5 cloves garlic, crushed
1 cinnamon quill
6 ripe Roma tomatoes, roughly chopped
350ml Marnong Estate Sangiovese red wine
500ml brown duck or chicken stock
Salted butter, for browning
Extra virgin olive oil
Optional: a handful of fresh peas
Optional: 50g dried porcini mushrooms, soaked and sliced
Flaky salt and freshly cracked black pepper

 

METHOD

1. In a heavy-based saucepan, melt a knob of salted butter with a generous drizzle of olive oil. Place duck legs skin-side down and cook over medium heat until golden brown. Remove and
   set aside.
2. Add the diced carrot, celery, onion, crushed garlic, sage sprigs, and cinnamon quill. Sauté gently for a few minutes until softened and aromatic.
3. Pour in the Marnong Estate Sangiovese to deglaze, scraping the pan. Reduce the wine by half to concentrate its flavour.
4. Stir in the chopped Roma tomatoes and the stock. If using, add the soaked and sliced porcini mushrooms at this stage to introduce an earthy richness. Bring to a gentle simmer.
5. Return the duck legs to the pot, nestling them into the sauce.
6. Add rosemary and bay leaves.
7. Cover with a cartouche (baking paper lid) and transfer to a 180°C oven. Slow cook for 2 hours, until the duck is tender and falling off the bone.
8. Remove the duck legs and shred the meat from the bone. Return the meat to the sauce and discard the rosemary stalks, sage, and bay leaves. If using, stir through a handful of fresh peas just before serving—they will retain their brightness and gentle sweetness.
9. Season to taste with flaky salt and cracked pepper.
   
   To serve: Spoon generously over hand-cut tagliatelle, pappardelle, pillowy gnocchi, or soft wet polenta. Finish with a flourish of Parmigiano Reggiano for a truly indulgent experience.