Gnocchi Alla Sorrentina

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Step 1

Making Weekday Sauce:

Step 2

Slice the garlic thin.

Step 3

Puree the tomatoes in a food mill or by pulsing in a blender on low. Remove the basil leaves from the stem, use the leaves at the end but the stem will cook along with the garlic in the sauce. Set aside for once the meatballs are browned.

Step 4

To fry, use a large, wide bottom pan and add a healthy amount of olive oil and once hot toss in the garlic, and the stem of the basil and cook until fragrant and the garlic browns around the edges slightly. Then add the tomatoes, bring to a simmer and simmer for about 20-30 minutes or until the sauce has reduced and it's a nice thick tomato sauce consistency. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Step 5

Cook The Gnocchi:

Step 6

Then over at the stove I have a pot of water boiled, I’m going to season it with salt and then drop the gnocchi into the water and give it a stir. Once they float after 2-3 min, they’re done.

Step 7

Keep the gnocchi moving and once the pan is hot, I’m going to add about 3 ladles of the tomato sauce into a new clean pan. To the sauce I’m going to add basil leaves. Once the gnocchi are floating, fish them out, and get them into the pan with the sauce. Now you just want to marry the sauce with the gnocchi so that each gnocchi is coated by the sauce. Give it one last taste for seasoning and then finish with a little grated parmigiano reggiano, and then toss in a whole bunch of the mozzarella. Now just mix that all together until the mozzarella becomes all melty and stringy, just like this. Now it’s ready to be baked.

Step 8

Bake The Gnocchi:

Step 9

Transfer that mixture to a baking dish, get all the sauce and cheese in there, hit the top with some more grated parm and then I’m going to add the final slices of mozzarella on top but I’m going to place them almost as if I’m making a Neapolitan pizza. I want it to melt and have a little space in between the cheese to see the gnocchi. Now toss that into a preheated 450F degree oven and bake for about 20 minutes, rotating half way through until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese is fully melted.

Step 10

Then remove from the oven, allow it to cool slightly. Add some fresh basil on top. The gnocchi should be tender and lightly but still have structure. The key characteristic of this dish is the stringy melty mozzarella. The taste resembles that of a Neapolitan pizza, except it’s gnocchi, which isn’t surprising considering Sorrento and Naples are practically neighbors. This dish is an incredible taste of what campagna has to offer and it is a must try dish this summer.