Gnocchi Alla Sorrentina
Whip up a big bowl of comfort with this incredible Italian recipe – soft and light potato gnocchi, balanced with a rich and delicious tomato sauce. Finished with bubbling mozzarella cheese and fresh basil, this beautifully simple and romantic meal is perfect to serve your loved one this Valentine’s Day.
Top tip: if you’ve not got much time, buy ready-made gnocchi and skip straight to “Create your masterpiece”.
Ingredients:
For the gnocchi:
- 1kg Potatoes
- 300g Flour
- 3 Eggs, beaten
For the sauce:
- 60ml extra virgin olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 tbs tomato paste
- 400g chopped tomatoes
- ½ bunch basil, leaves picked
- 200g buffalo mozzarella cheese, chopped
To make your gnocchi:
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil; add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain, cool, and mash with a fork or potato masher.
- Combine mashed potato, flour, and egg in a large bowl. Knead until dough forms a ball. Shape small portions of the dough into long “snakes”. On a floured surface, cut snakes into 1/2-inch pieces.
Create your masterpiece:
- Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook 3-4 minutes then add the garlic and cook for a further minute until fragrant. Add tomato paste, peeled tomatoes and half a cup of water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes until reduced.
- Meanwhile, bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add your homemade or shop-bought gnocchi and cook until they float to the top, then drain.
- Add gnocchi to the pasta sauce and stir through half the basil leaves, then spoon the mixture into a baking dish. Top with cheese and bake for 10-15 minutes until golden and bubbling.
