Home-made Gnocchi with Pomodoro sauce : A traditional Italian dish

Gnocchi is a very traditional form of Italian pasta and is basically a dumpling prepared by rolling out the dough and then cutting it in small bite sized pieces. The secret of gnocchi lies thus in its dough. The small pieces of dough are then boiled in water to give Gnocchi its final form. Gnocchi has been a traditional Italian dish since the Roman times, when the legions brought them to Italy from the Middle East. The present day Gnocchi dough consists of boiled potatoes which became prevalent after the introduction of the potato to Europe in the 16th century. Gnocchi ‘pasta’ can well be bought at a nearby supermarket, owing to the industrial brands making them available in different countries across the world. But these commercial counterparts are in no way even close to the original home-made traditional Gnocchi both in taste, texture and form. So here is how you can make your own home-made Gnocchi. Once the bite sized potato filled dough dumplings are prepared you can also follow the recipe given below of a dish you can prepare from Gnocchi. 

Ingredients

For the Gnocchi

Flour : (3 cups) : I used the T55 type of flour (5.5% husk) which is available in France. You can use any other type of flour. 

Egg : 1

Potatos (large) : 5 

Non salted butter : 30gms

Freshly ground black pepper : 1/3 teaspoon

Salt to taste

For the sauce

Garlic : 5 cloves

Extra Virgin Olive Oil : 3 tablespoons 

Tomato Puree : 500gms

Dried Thyme : 1/2 teaspoon

Freshly ground black pepper : 1/3 teaspoon

Salt to taste

Parsley : 1 bunch

Grated Emmental : 50 gms 

Procedure

For the Gnocchi

Melt the butter and make a smooth molten butter.

Smash the boiled potatoes into a smooth paste. There should be no lumps.

Add the egg and flour to the smashed potatoes.

Season it with salt and pepper.

Add the molten butter.

Start to put the ingredients together and knead the dough. 

Take a board and layer it with dry flour. Place a small amount of dough on the board, sprinkle it with dry flour. 

Roll it out in tubular form with the help of your palm. 

Then cut the rolled out dough in bite sized pieces with a knife.

 Repeat the process with the rest of the dough. 

Now fill a deep bottomed casserole with water and boil it. 

Add the Gnocchi in batches to the boiling water. Make sure not to put too many Gnocchi at the same time. 

When the Gnocchi is done it will float on the surface of the water. 

Use a perforated spatula to remove the poached Gnocchi. 

Make sure you strain the water nicely before placing the Gnocchi in a bowl, unless they may stick to each other.

For the Sauce

Chop the garlic finely. 

Take a non-stick pan and add extra virgin olive oil. Add the chopped garlic. When it turns golden, add the tomato puree. Add the dried thyme and season it with salt and pepper.

 Cover it with a lid and cook for some time. 

Add 1 cup of the water in which the Gnocchi had been boiled. Stir well. Add the Gnocchi and give it a good stir so that each and every Gnocchi gets coated with the sauce. 

Do this with a rounded spatula so that the Gnocchi are not broken. Cook for 5 minutes in medium heat. 

Remove it and place it in the serving bowl.

Garnish it with roughly chopped parsley and grated Emmental cheese (instead of Emmental you can also use Parmesan shavings).

 Voila, the Italian Traditional Gnocchi in Pomodoro Sauce is ready.

  

Printable Recipe

Home-made Gnocchi with Pomodoro sauce
Author: Mitanti Ghosh
Preparation Time: 45 min
Cooking time: 20 min
Servings: 5

Calories per serving: 200 kcal

Gnocchi is a very traditional form of Italian pasta and is basically a dumpling prepared by rolling out the dough and then cutting it in small bite sized pieces. Here is how you can make your own home-made Gnocchi.

Ingredients:

• Flour :3 cups
• Egg : 1
• Potatos (large) : 5
• Unsalted butter : 30gms
• Freshly ground black pepper : 2/3 teaspoon
• Garlic : 5 cloves
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil : 3 tablespoons
• Tomato Puree : 500gms
• Dried Thyme : 1/2 teaspoon
• Parsley : 1 bunch
• Grated Emmental : 50 gms
• Salt to taste

Instructions:

1. Smash the boiled potatoes into a smooth paste. There should be no lumps. Add the egg and flour to the smashed potatoes.Season it with salt and pepper.
2. Add the molten butter. Start to put the ingredients together and knead the dough.
3. Take a board and layer it with dry flour. Place a small amount of dough on the board, sprinkle it with dry flour. Roll it out in tubular form with the help of your palm.
4. Then cut the rolled out dough in bite sized pieces with a knife. Repeat the process with the rest of the dough.
5. Now fill a deep bottomed casserole with water and boil it. Add the Gnocchi in batches to the boiling water. Make sure not to put too many Gnocchi at the same time.
6. When the Gnocchi is done it will float on the surface of the water. Use a perforated spatula to remove the poached Gnocchi. Make sure you strain the water nicely before placing the Gnocchi in a bowl, unless they may stick to each other.
7. Chop the garlic finely. Take a non-stick pan and add extra virgin olive oil. Add the chopped garlic. When it turns golden, add the tomato puree. Add the dried thyme and season it with salt and pepper.
8. Cover it with a lid and cook for some time.
9. Add 1 cup of the water in which the Gnocchi had been boiled. Stir well. Add the Gnocchi and give it a good stir so that each and every Gnocchi gets coated with the sauce.
10. Cook for 5 minutes in medium heat.
11. Remove it and place it in the serving bowl.Garnish it with roughly chopped parsley and grated cheese.