Gnocchi With Tomato Sauce

Gnocchi with tomato sauce is a winter comfort food.  My twin boys Alex and George stated in the car ride home from school that they would like me to make Gnocchi for dinner tomorrow night.  So I searched my cookbooks and found a gnocchi recipe from Mario Batali's cook book called "Molto Italiano".  This recipe makes enough for two meals so I just froze half of the gnocchi on cookie sheets to use for another night when I am running behind.

Gnocchi with Tomato Sauce:

Serves:  10

3 pounds Russet Potatoes
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 extra large egg
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 cup canola oil

1.  Wash and peel the potatoes.  Cut the potatoes in small cubes and cook in a large pot of salted water.  Cook until the potatoes are tender. Drain the potatoes and remove all the water.  Mash the potatoes while they are still warm with a hand mixer or vegetable mill.

Mashed Potatoes

2.  In a large pot of boiling water add 1 tablespoon of salt.  Set up an ice bath (a large bowl of cold water and ice) next to your stove.

3.  In a large bowl, mix the potatoes, flour, egg, salt and canola oil together.  When the dough comes together dump it onto a floured work surface and need the dough for 4 minutes or until the dough is dry to the touch.  If the dough is too sticky add small amounts of flour so you can work easily with the dough.

Gnocchi Dough

4.  Divide the dough into 6 balls.  Roll the the dough out into 6 rope like pieces about 3/4" in diameter and cut into 1" pieces with a knife or pizza cutter.  Roll each piece with the back of a fork to create ridges.  Drop the Gnocchi into the boiling water in 6 different batches and cook for 1 minute or until they float up to the top.  Remove the gnocchi from the water with a slotted spoon and place them directly into the ice bath.  Continue with the other 5 batches of gnocchi in the boiling water and ice bath.

Dividing The Gnocchi Dough Into 6 Different Pieces With Dough Cutter

 Cutting The Gnocchi Dough Into 1" Pieces And Marking Them With A Fork

Cooked Gnocchi Toasted With Olive Oil

5.  Drain the gnocchi from the ice water bath. Place them in a large bowl and toss with olive oil.  The gnocchi can be stored, covered in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours.

6.  Re-heat gnocchi in a pan on medium heat with hot tomato sauce.  Heat the gnocchi until they are hot and the tomato sauce starts to bubble.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese  and fresh mozzarella before you serve them.

Tomato Sauce:
Serves:  5

1 28 oz. can Cento Italian style peeled tomatoes
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled, crushed
1 cup sweet onions, diced
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, like Mc Cormick's Tuscan Gourmet Collection
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

1/2 pound fresh mozzarella, cut into small chunks

1.  Puree the can of tomatoes with a hand mixer.
2.  In a large saucepan on medium high heat, saute the onions and garlic in the olive oil for 2 minutes.  Add the pureed tomatoes, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning to the onions and garlic.  Lower the heat and cook the tomato sauce for 15 minutes.  Remove the the heat.  Serve hot over gnocchi with fresh parmesan cheese and chunks of fresh mozzarella.

Diced Sweet Onions

 Tomato Sauce

Gnocchi In Tomato Sauce