Sugo Di Nocci Recipes

POTATO GNOCCHI WITH WILD MUSHROOM SUGO

Steps:

• For the gnocchi:
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Bake potatoes until very soft on a bed of coarse salt in a baking dish, about 45 minutes. (The salt keeps the potatoes from touching the dish and developing a hard spot.) Cool potatoes until warm, then halve lengthwise and scoop out the flesh. Pass the flesh through a food mill or ricer, or push it through a coarse sieve. You should have about 4 cups.
• In a bowl, combine potato, egg yolks, Parmesan, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Work the mixture with a wooden spoon until smooth. Add 1 cup of the flour and knead very gently, patting and pressing the dough with your hands until all the flour is incorporated. Add some or all of the additional 1/4 cup flour if the dough feels too moist, it should be soft but shouldn't stick to your hands. Transfer dough to a work surface and roll into a log about 3 inches in diameter. Cut the log into 8 equal pieces.
• Give each piece a quarter-turn so that you are rolling the dough in a different direction, then roll into ropes, a generous 1/2-inch in diameter, as if making breadsticks. Flour the ropes generously, and then cut crosswise at 1/2-inch intervals. You can shape the gnocchi on a ridged butter paddle or on the back of a fork, or you can cook them as is. Let them dry at room temperature for at least 20 minutes before cooking.
• For the sugo:
• Heat a large saute pan over high heat. When hot, add oil, and then sprinkle in the mushrooms. Don't stir! Let the mushrooms sizzle and caramelize for 7 to 8 minutes. Stir and season with salt and pepper. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute to release its fragrance. Add the rosemary and shallot and cook for about a minute. Cook briefly to release their fragrance, then add tomato and red wine and simmer until almost evaporated. Add the broth or water. Simmer until slightly reduced, 4 to 5 minutes. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and stir in the butter. Sprinkle with the parsley and keep warm.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the gnocchi. They are usually done about 2 minutes after they float to the surface, but test 1 to be sure. Lift them out with a skimmer and transfer to a large platter. Pour the warm sauce over the gnocchi. Grate Parmesan over the top and serve immediately.

MARCELLA HAZAN'S SUGO FRESCO DI POMODORO

Steps:

• Put the oil and garlic in a saucepan and turn the heat to medium. When the garlic becomes coloured a pale gold, add the tomatoes and their juices and turn the heat down to very low. Cook, uncovered, until the oil floats free on top of the sauce, for about 20 minutes. Add salt and grindings of pepper and cook for another two to three minutes, stirring from time to time. Off the heat, stir in the torn basil leaves.
• Serve over your favourite, freshly-cooked, al dente pasta.

SUGO DI POMODORO (AUTHENTIC ITALIAN TOMATO SAUCE)

Steps:

• Heat oil in a saucepan over low heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook and stir until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add passata, basil, and salt. Cover and simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until tomato sauce has thickened, about 20 minutes. Remove garlic halves before serving.

SALSA DI NOCI

Steps:

• Bring water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add walnuts and cook until they have softened slightly, about 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
• Combine garlic and 1 pinch sea salt in the bowl of a mortar and pestle. Grind to create a thick paste. Add walnuts, marjoram, thyme, and oregano. Grind until combined and slightly creamy, but still coarse.
• Transfer the walnut mixture to a large bowl. Slowly whisk in olive oil to form a thick emulsion. Add heavy cream and Pecorino Romano cheese, whisk until combined. Season with black pepper and sea salt to taste.
• Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil. Stir in the fettuccine, return to a boil, and cook pasta over medium heat until cooked through but still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain.
• Toss walnut sauce with pasta. Garnish with fresh chives.

SUGO DI NOCCI

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F
• Cook the pasta in lightly salted boiling water according to package directions.
• Spread walnuts on a baking sheet and place in oven for 7-8 minutes. Allow them to cool, then rub/shake them in a clean dry towel to remove skins, then leave to cool.
• Blend together the walnuts, butter, oil and garlic until they are reduced to a smoothish paste, transfer to a bowl, stir in half the cheese and season to taste.
• Stir 6 tablespoons of boiling salted water into the walnut paste. Drain the pasta, transfer to a warmed dish and mix well with the walnut paste and chopped tomato.
• Serve with the remaining cheese on top.