Gnocchi alla Sorrentina, Baked Potato Gnocchi with Tomatoes and Mozzarella (VIDEO)
Gnocchi alla Sorrentina are baked potato gnocchi with tomato sauce, mozzarella, Parmesan, and fresh basil.
Equipment
- 1 Potato ricer
- 1 Large saucepan
- 1 Baking dish (about cm 30x20)
Ingredients
For Potato Gnocchi:
- 500 g potatoes with skin washed
- 150 g all-purpose flour
- 1/2 egg
- Salt
For Gnocchi alla Sorrentina Sauce:
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 700 g tomato sauce
- 7-8 fresh basil leaves
- Salt
- 400 g mozzarella cheese dried and diced
- 5 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
Instructions
For Potato Gnocchi
- Boil potatoes with all their skins in plenty of cold water for about 30–40 minutes. Drain them only when you can pierce them well with a fork. Drain potatoes, peel, and let cool. Mash the potatoes with a potato ricer.
- If you used the right potatoes, the pulp will be dry. If a few drops of water come out when squeezing after you have mashed the potatoes, remove the water by pressing the potatoes with a clean cloth to dry them well. Let the mashed potatoes cool completely by placing them in a colander for at least 10 minutes. The colander will squeeze out the remaining droplets of water, and the cold puree will absorb less flour.
- In a large bowl, add potatoes, salt, about 2 tablespoons of beaten egg, and flour. Knead very little and quickly, just enough time to get all the ingredients together (overwork makes the dough sticky!). Shape the dough into a ball and place it on a floured work surface.
- Cut the dough into 7-8 parts and form cylinders 2-3 centimeters thick. If the cylinders stick to your hands, lightly flour your hands. Cut each cylinder into 2 cm pieces to make smaller cylinders.
- These can be ready-made gnocchi, but if you prefer classic striped gnocchi, proceed as follows. Take a lightly floured fork, slide the gnocchi along the inside, pressing lightly with your index finger. Arrange them on a tray covered with a clean cloth and let the gnocchi rest in the air for about 30 minutes, so they will dry out further. Meanwhile, prepare the tomato sauce.
For Sorrentine Sauce
- Pour 3 tablespoons of oil, tomato puree, and 2-3 basil leaves into a large saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally. Add a pinch of salt to taste. You should have a thick and flavorful sauce. Turn off the fire and set aside.
For Gnocchi alla Sorrentina
- Cook the gnocchi in plenty of boiling salted water for 3 or 4 minutes until they float to the surface. As they rise to the surface, remove the gnocchi with a slotted spoon and place them on a tray covered with a clean cloth.
- Boil a large amount of water in a large saucepan and preheat the oven to 200°C. When the water boils, add 1/2 tablespoon of coarse salt and once it boils again, add the potato gnocchi. Cook for about 2 minutes until the gnocchi float to the surface.
- Using a slotted spoon, drain the gnocchi and carefully transfer them into the saucepan with the tomato puree. Toss to coat in the sauce, but be careful not to break them.
- In a baking dish, pour the first layer with about half of the gnocchi and sprinkle with half of the mozzarella, Parmesan, and 1-2 basil leaves. Add the remaining Gnocchi and sprinkle with the last layer of mozzarella, Parmesan, basil, and a tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil. Bake in the preheated oven for about 6–7 minutes, or until the mozzarella is completely melted and starting to brown on the surface.
- Serve the delicious homemade Gnocchi alla Sorrentina while still hot.