Gnocchi alla Sorrentina

Gnocchi are not just simple potato dumplings they are little pillows of loveliness!  They freeze well and cook fine from frozen so make a big batch. 

This "alla Sorrentina" dish drowns them in a tomato sauce and smothers them in cheese!

Ingredients
for the gnocchi
1kg potatoes  (floury like Maris Piper)
200g plain flour  
1 free-range egg  
sea salt  

for the alla Sorrentina dish
250g Mozzarella, cubed
100g vegetarian Italian Hard Cheese, finely grated
1 tin chopped tomatoes
handful of basil leaves, roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp olive oil
0.5 tsp sugar (optional)

      
Method

for the sauce
Make the tomato sauce by heating olive oil in a small pan to a medium heat and frying the garlic for a minute. Do not let the garlic brown too much.  Add the chopped tomatoes, basil and balsamic vinegar and simmer gently for 10 minutes or even longer.  Taste and add some sugar if it's too sharp. Season with salt if it needs some. 

for the gnocchi
Steam the potatoes for 25 minutes or until tender, then mash with a potato masher or pass through potato ricer while they are still hot. In a large bowl stir in the flour, egg and a pinch of salt and knead to a soft, elastic dough. 

If there is too much flour, the gnocchi will be too hard; if there is too much potato, they'll disintegrate whilst cooking. 

Shape the dough into long rolls just over 1.5cm in diameter and cut into 2cm lengths. Roll the gnocchi along your hand with the back of a fork to create some ridges. Arrange on a tea towel dusted with flour.

to make the "alla Sorrentina" Bring a large pan of lightly salted water to the boil, add the gnocchi, a few at a time, and remove with a slotted spoon once they rise to the surface. 

Cook enough gnocchi to fill an oven-proof dish. (I used about 30 for mine)

Heat the tomato sauce in the pan then add the cooked gnocchi and stir gently.

Pour the gnocchi and sauce into a warm oven-proof dish. Sprinkle over the grated Italian hard cheese and then top with the mozzarella. Place under a hot grill for about 5 minutes until the cheese melts and begins to brown.  

Serve immediately.