Gnocchi alla Sorrentina

Gnocchi alla Sorrentina – Homemade Gnocchi with a rich tomato sauce, basil and melty mozzarella. Hailing from Sorrento in Italy, I tried this dish at Fauno Bar which is situated in the Piazza Tasso – the heart of Sorrento – the perfect sunny people watching place for a bite to eat or a drink. It’s always packed with tourists, which might put many off but this gnocchi dish was one of the tastiest things I ate whilst in Sorrento. The soft, homemade potato gnocchi is mixed with a rich tomato sauce and topped with creamy mozzarella before being baked; it made for a great welcome to Sorrento and I knew I had to recreate it as soon as I got back. I’ve made my own gnocchi but it would be fine – and super simple – to make this dish with shop bought gnocchi. Basil is really important to add better flavour to the sauce. Make sure to use fresh basil rather than dried too. Hope you enjoy my recipe for Gnocchi Alla Sorrentina and please share your creations with me if you try it out!

If you liked my Gnocchi alla Sorrentina then you might like my Tomato and Garlic Seafood Pasta.

Recipe

Serves 2

Difficulty Level Top Chef (Rookie if made with shop-bought gnocchi)

Ingredients:

For the homemade gnocchi

• 500g potatoes (try and make sure all the potatoes that make up the 500g are the same size)

1 egg

‘OO’ flour

For the sauce:

• 3 cloves garlic
• Olive oil
• 2 tins plum tomatoes
• Bunch of basil
• Salt and pepper
• 1 large ball of mozzarella (keep the whey for the sauce)
• Parmesan cheese, to serve

Method:

1. Heat the oven to 220C. Cover the potatoes with a good layer of salt and bake in the oven until just cooked (depending on the size of your potatoes, this will take between 40-60 mins)
2. Remove the potatoes and as quick as you can, without burning your hands, peel away the skins.
3. Use a potato ricer (or a sieve) to rice the potatoes on to a work surface. Keep the potatoes well spread out and allow to steam dry for around 5 minutes.
4. Gently bring the potato together (don’t overwork or it will become tough and gluey) and crack an egg into the pile. Sprinkle in 100g flour and use a fork to bring it altogether. Lightly knead the mixture, but only to just bring it together.
5. Roll the ball of dough into a Sausage shape, around the thickness of your thumb.
6. Cut the gnocchi into small squares. Leave to the side whilst you make the sauce.
7. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil and garlic over a medium heat for around a minute. Add the tomatoes, whey and a very generous grind of salt and pepper. Simmer for around 10 minutes. Stir through most of the basil, leaving some for garnish.
8. Cook the gnocchi in boiling salted water for a couple of minutes. When they float to the surface, they will be cooked. Stir the gnocchi into the tomato sauce.
9. Place the gnocchi into a baking dish and tear the mozzarella all over.
10. Bake in an oven preheated at 200C for around 10-15 minutes until the cheese has melted.
11. Serve the Gnocchi Alla Sorrentina topped with grated Parmesan and the remaining basil. Have crusty bread or salad on the side!