Best 3 Potato Gnocchi With Heirloom Baby Tomato Sauce Recipes

GNOCCHI AND TOMATO PANCETTA SAUCE

Steps:

• Boil the potatoes until fork tender (not mushy). As soon as they are done, remove from the water and place in a dish. Remove the skin from the potatoes using a sharp knife or fork. Cut the potatoes into pieces and process the peeled, hot potatoes through a food mill using the medium disk.
• Place a mound of flour, about 2 1/2 cups to start, on your work surface (a floured board). Place all of the processed potatoes on top of the flour. Knead the flour/potato mixture with your hands until the dough is smooth; free of lumps, but yet still a little sticky. This recipe does not lend itself to making the dough in the food processor or mixer. Keep adding flour as necessary to obtain the desired consistency. The amount of the flour needed depends on how much water is in the potatoes, the moisture in the air, etc. Sometimes it can take up to 4 cups to obtain the right consistency. Keep kneading until it is right.
• After kneading the dough, place it under a dry kitchen towel to keep it warm. Immediately start making the gnocchi. This dough must be used right away. Cut a small piece off of the dough. Roll the piece into a "log" that is approximately 12 to 16 inches long. The log should be about 1/2-inch in diameter. You do not want it too wide or the gnocchi get too "fat." Cut the "log" into pieces about 1-inch long. You will end up with about 12 to16 gnocchi per log. The next step is to form the gnocchi.
• Take a fork in your left hand (if you are right handed), and hold it straight up with the tines facing towards the ceiling. With your index finger of your right hand, take 1 piece of gnocchi (the 1-inch pieces that you cut above), and starting at the top of the fork, roll the piece down the inside tine of the fork. This should be done with firm pressure (not too firm as to smash the gnocchi, but firm enough to roll the piece down the fork and leave an indentation on the gnocchi). When you get to the base of the tines, release the gnocchi and let it drop to a floured tray. The "completed" gnocchi should be marked with the fork tines on 1 side of it and have a slight indentation from your index finger on the other side of it. This shape and marking allow the pasta to "catch" the sauce when you serve it.
• Proceed with all of the dough and make each piece as directed. This goes very fast once you get the hang of it. Let the pasta sit on the floured trays on you counter until ready to serve. However, serving time should be within 4 to 5 hours of making the gnocchi. Otherwise they will dry out and get tough.
• To serve, boil the gnocchi in lots of boiling, salted water. As soon as the pasta rises to the top, it is done. (This is also very quick). Drain the cooked gnocchi in a colander or strainer. Place the cooked pasta in a serving platter and top/mix with the sauce.
• Heat olive oil in saucepan over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add the chopped pancetta, red pepper flakes and parsley. Cook until the pancetta is cooked through and is slightly brown. Add the garlic; cook for another 2 minutes.
• Process the tomatoes with their juice in the food processor. Pulse the tomatoes briefly until they are coarsely chopped. You do not want them to puree. Add to the cooked ingredients in the saucepan. Add salt to taste. Continue cooking on a low simmer for about 1 hour until the sauce has reduced and is somewhat thicker. You can keep cooking this for up to 3 hours. The longer you cook it, the thicker and richer it becomes. If you cook it too long, add water to reduce the thickness and you reach the desired consistency.

POTATO GNOCCHI WITH TOMATO-BASIL SAUCE

Steps:

• Peel the potatoes, and boil them until tender. Drain, and refrigerate overnight.
• Mash the potatoes well, or pass them through a ricer until smooth. Spread the potatoes on a flat surface, and make a well in the middle. In a bowl, beat the egg yolks and pour them into the center of the well. Add the olive oil and salt and pepper. Stir slowly.
• While mixing, knead in the flour and the potatoes a little at a time. The dough should be moist but not sticky.
• On a floured work surface take one-fourth of the dough, and knead until it feels smooth (about 2 to 3 minutes). Roll the dough into a log approximately 1 inch thick. Cut the log into 1/2-inch-long pieces. Dust the pieces with flour. Repeat with the rest of the dough.
• To give the dough the traditional gnocchi shape, place a piece of dough over the side of a cheese grater that has three or four long smile-shaped holes. Press the dough down over the hole, and gently roll it out to give it a shell shape. (This takes a few tries to get the technique.) Repeat with all the dough.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the gnocchi all at once, and stir gently so they do not stick to the pot. When they are done they will float to the top. With a perforated spoon, remove them and serve immediately, or drop them into ice water until needed, then briefly reheat in boiling water.
• In a saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium flame and add the garlic. Cook until the garlic is golden. Increase heat to high, and add all of the tomatoes. Cook until the tomatoes break open. Lower heat to simmer, and cook for 30 minutes.
• About 10 minutes before the sauce is done, add the basil leaves, season with salt and pepper, and stir gently. Taste for seasonings and serve.

POTATO GNOCCHI WITH QUICK TOMATO SAUCE RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Add the potatoes to a large pot of salted boiling water and cook for 20-25 minutes, or until easily pierced with a fork. Drain and set aside until cool enough to handle, but still warm.
• While the potatoes are cooking, make the tomato sauce: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, high-walled skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, season with salt and sauté until soft, 5-7 minutes. Add the tomatoes, season with salt, and cook until they start to burst, about 5 minutes. Add the water and remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Cover and cook until the tomatoes have broken down into a sauce, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and cover until ready to serve.
• Using a peeler or your fingers, remove the skin from the potatoes. Pass the potato flesh through a ricer or food mill into a large bowl. Add the egg and mix until just combined. Slowly incorporate the flour, a little at a time, until the dough starts to form. Be careful not to overwork the dough. If the dough still feels sticky, add a little more flour, 2 tablespoons at a time.
• Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface. Cut into 4 portions. Roll out 1 portion into a long rope, about 1 inch wide. Cut in half crosswise, then cut each half into 1-inch pieces. Set aside on a lightly floured surface while you repeat with the remaining dough.
• If desired, roll each gnocchi on a fork or gnocchi board to make decorative ridges.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Working in batches, add the gnocchi, stirring gently once or twice to ensure they are not sticking to the bottom of the pot or each other. Boil until the gnocchi float to the surface, then wait another 15-30 seconds and remove from the water with a slotted spoon. Reserve ½ cup of the cooking water.
• Reheat the tomato sauce over medium heat. Add some of the reserved pasta water and stir to combine. Check for seasoning and add salt if needed. Add the gnocchi to the sauce and toss until well coated, adding more pasta water as needed to create a thick sauce.
• Serve immediately and enjoy!