Soft, handmade potato gnocchi meet a rich, spicy tomato sauce in this comforting Italian-inspired recipe. The gnocchi are made from scratch for a wonderfully light and tender texture, then tossed with a simple sauce of Mutti Whole Peeled Tomatoes, garlic, extra virgin olive oil and red pepper flakes. The result is a satisfying dish where delicate potato gnocchi balance the vibrant tomato flavour and gentle chilli heat. Making gnocchi by hand requires a little extra time, but their soft, pillowy texture makes the effort worthwhile. Serve immediately with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil for a simple and flavourful homemade meal.
4 people
1
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2
Sprinkle about ½ cup of the coarse sea salt in the bottom of a baking dish just large enough to hold the potatoes. Place the potatoes on the salt, prick them with a fork, then cover them with the remaining coarse salt. Bake until easily pierced with a paring knife, about 40 minutes. Set aside to cool. Discard the salt.
3
Meanwhile, while the potatoes are baking, place the olive oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes in a large saucepan and cook over medium heat until the garlic is fragrant and just light brown. Add the Mutti® Whole Peeled Tomatoes and their juices, crushing them by hand as you do. Season to taste with salt. Simmer the sauce until slightly thickened, about 20 minutes. Cover and set aside to keep warm.
4
Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel them and mash them with a potato ricer or masher. (You can use a fork, just be sure to crush them thoroughly and do not leave any large chunks.) On a work surface, spread the potatoes into a square about 10 by 10 inches.
5
In a bowl, combine 2 cups flour and 1 tablespoon fine sea salt. Sprinkle the flour mixture evenly over the potatoes.
6
Knead the potato mixture (use a bench scraper to help you get started, if necessary) until the mixture is uniform and forms a soft, slightly sticky dough. If the dough is too sticky, add the remaining 1 cup flour in small amounts. Note: the less flour you add, the lighter your gnocchi will be.
7
With a knife, cut the dough into equal-size pieces roughly the size of an egg. Working one at a time, roll the pieces into ropes about ¾ inch wide. Cut the ropes into 1-inch pieces.
8
Pick up one piece of the dough, roll it over the back of a fork, and let it drop onto the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough. The resulting gnocchi should be slightly curved with the grooves that will capture the sauce. Dust the gnocchi lightly with flour and set aside.
9
Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the gnocchi. When the water is boiling, salt it generously, then add the gnocchi. Cook the gnocchi until they rise to the top of the water, about 1 minute. As they are finished cooking, remove them to a colander with a slotted spoon.
10
Gently reheat the tomato sauce to a simmer and spread a small amount on the bottom of a serving dish. Add the drained gnocchi, then spoon the remaining sauce on top. Toss to combine. Drizzle with a little olive oil and serve immediately.
11
Serve potato gnocchi with tomato sauce.
The secret to light, tender gnocchi is using as little flour as possible. Too much flour can make the dough dense, while a softer dough helps create the delicate, pillowy texture that makes homemade gnocchi so distinctive. In this recipe, the potatoes are baked before being mashed, which helps keep the dough relatively dry and easier to work with.
Fresh potato gnocchi cook very quickly. Add them to boiling salted water and watch for them to rise to the surface. In this recipe, that takes around one minute. Once they float, remove them gently with a slotted spoon and combine them with the warm tomato sauce.
