Sorrento-Style Gnocchi

Sorrento sauce is a specialty of the southern Italian coastal town of Sorrento, located near Naples. The sauce is made simply from ripe tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, and fresh basil. When mixed with homemade potato gnocchi, cubed mozzarella, and quickly baked in the oven, it becomes something divine and delicious. Trust us, youll lick your plates clean!

Details

  • Preparation Time: 45 minutes
  • Cooking Time: 50 minutes
  • Difficulty: 2
  • Spiciness: 0
  • Number of Servings: 4

Ingredients

Gnocchi

  • 600 g Potatoes, white

  • 150 g Flour, Whole wheat

  • 0.5 teaspoons Salt, table

  • 2 piece Egg, egg yolk, fresh

  • 250 g Cheese, mozzarella

  • 3 pieces Basil, fresh

  • 60 g Cheese, Parmesan, grated

Sauce

  • 4 spoon Oil, olive

  • 2 pod Garlic, fresh

  • 600 g Tomato sauce, without salt

  • pieces Basil, fresh

  • pieces Salt, table

Steps

  1. Rinse the potatoes thoroughly under running water to remove any dirt. Place them in a suitably sized pot and cover with enough cold water to completely submerge the potatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and cook the potatoes until they are completely soft. The easiest way to check if they are done is by inserting a thin knife. If it slides in easily, the potatoes are cooked.

  2. While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the sauce. Peel and crush the garlic. Heat the oil in a pot and quickly sauté the crushed garlic. Add the tomato puree and 60 ml of water, along with 2-3 basil leaves. Cover and simmer the sauce over medium-low heat for about 30 minutes. Stir occasionally and season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

  3. Once the potatoes are cooked, drain them and let them cool slightly. While still warm, peel them (use a kitchen towel or gloves to help). Sprinkle about 3/4 of the flour onto a clean work surface, reserving the rest. Salt the flour and make a well in the center. Using a potato press, squeeze the peeled potatoes into the well (you can also mash them roughly with a fork and then pass them through a sieve). Add the egg yolks and quickly knead the ingredients together with clean hands to form a uniform dough. Gradually add the reserved flour while kneading. The dough should be soft like playdough but not sticky.

  4. Lightly flour the work surface and divide the dough into four parts. Take one piece of dough and shape it into a long roll, about the thickness of a thumb. Use the blunt side of a knife to cut the roll into 2 cm pieces to form the gnocchi. Shape the gnocchi as desired. Repeat the process until all the dough is used.

  5. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the gnocchi. They are done when they float to the surface. Use a slotted spoon to remove the cooked gnocchi and add them to the warm tomato sauce, from which the garlic cloves have been removed. Gently mix to coat the gnocchi with the sauce.

  6. Transfer half of the gnocchi with the sauce to a baking dish. Sprinkle with cubed mozzarella and torn basil leaves. Add the remaining gnocchi with the sauce and top with the rest of the mozzarella. Sprinkle grated Pecorino over the top. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, remove the foil and turn on the broiler. Bake for an additional 2-3 minutes until the cheese is golden brown.

Nutrition Information (Per 100g)

  • Calories: 150.51 kcal
  • Fat: 6.86 g
    • Saturated Fat: 2.81 g
  • Carbohydrates: 14.45 g
    • Sugars: 2.14 g
  • Protein: 6.41 g
  • Fiber: 1.86 g

Advice

Pecorino is an Italian semi-hard cheese. In recipes, it can easily be replaced with Parmesan, as they have a very similar flavor.