A recipe from Gemo

Gnocchi alla Sorrentina

Name: Gnocchi alla Sorrentina
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 90 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1000 g Potato (floury potatoes; avoid watery new potatoes); 280 g Flour (00 flour if available; add extra only if sticky); 1 pc Egg (medium egg, for binding); 30 g Semolina (for dusting; flour works too); 600 g Tomato Sauce (passata, tomato puree, or crushed canned tomatoes); 2 tbsp Olive Oil (for sauce and baking dish); 1 clove Garlic (lightly crushed; remove after flavoring); 10 g Basil (whole leaves for sauce and finishing); 250 g Cheese (Mozzarella) (drain and pat dry before dicing); 60 g Cheese (Parmesan) (finely grated; Grana Padano works); 2 tsp Salt (for dough, sauce, and cooking water); 0.25 tsp Black Pepper (optional, to balance tomato sauce); 3 l Water (for boiling potatoes and gnocchi)

გემო (ოფიციალური გვერდი)Chef

90 minMedium4 servings

A comforting Campania-style baked gnocchi dish from the Sorrento tradition, made with tender potato gnocchi, basil tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, and grated Italian cheese. The sauce stays simple and bright, while a short hot bake melts the cheese into a bubbling, visually appealing tomato-mozzarella top.

Method

01
Cook the 1 kg potatoes whole and unpeeled in a large pot of water until a fork slides through them easily. Drain well, peel while still hot enough to handle, and pass through a potato ricer or mash until smooth.
⏱ 35 min
02
While the potatoes cook, make the tomato sauce. Warm 2 tablespoons olive oil in a saucepan with the crushed garlic, then add 600 g tomato passata, a pinch of salt, black pepper, and several basil leaves. Simmer gently until the sauce tastes rounded and is thick enough to coat the gnocchi, then remove the garlic.
⏱ 25 min
03
Make the gnocchi dough while the potatoes are still warm. Spread 280 g flour on the work surface, add the riced potatoes, egg, and a pinch of salt, then bring everything together quickly. Knead only until soft and even; too much working makes the gnocchi heavy.
04
Divide the dough into pieces and roll each piece into a rope about 2 cm thick. Cut into small gnocchi and, if desired, roll each one lightly over a fork or gnocchi board. Place them on a semolina-dusted tray so they do not stick.
05
Heat the oven to 250 C, or to the hottest grill/broil setting available. Dice the drained mozzarella and keep the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano ready. Spread a spoonful of tomato sauce and a little olive oil in the bottom of a medium baking dish.
06
Bring a large pot of salted water to a gentle boil. Cook the gnocchi in batches so they have room to float; as soon as they rise to the surface, lift them out with a slotted spoon and transfer them into the tomato sauce. Fold very gently so the gnocchi stay intact.
⏱ 6 min
07
Layer the sauced gnocchi in the baking dish with diced mozzarella and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, finishing with cheese on top. Bake at 250 C, or broil on the hottest setting, just until the sauce bubbles and the mozzarella melts into stretchy browned spots.
⏱ 8 min
08
Let the dish stand for a few minutes so the molten cheese settles slightly. Finish with fresh basil and serve hot from the baking dish, keeping the soft gnocchi and tomato-mozzarella topping visible.
⏱ 3 min