Tomato Basil Gnocchi Gratin Recipes

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.

GNOCCHI & TOMATO BAKE

Steps:

• Heat grill to high. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan, then soften 1 chopped onion and 1 finely chopped red pepper for 5 mins.
• Stir in 1 crushed garlic clove, fry for 1 min, tip in 400g chopped tomatoes and 500g gnocchi, then bring to a simmer.
• Bubble for 10-15 mins, stirring occasionally, until the gnocchi is soft and the sauce has thickened.
• Season, stir through a handful of torn basil leaves, then transfer to a large ovenproof dish.
• Scatter with torn chunks of half a 125g mozzarella ball, then grill for 5-6 mins until the cheese is bubbling and golden.

CRISPY GNOCCHI WITH BURST TOMATOES AND MOZZARELLA

Steps:

• Heat the broiler with a rack about 6 inches from the heat source.
• In a large (12-inch) skillet on the stovetop, heat enough olive oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan (about 1 tablespoon) over medium-high. Add half the gnocchi to the pan, breaking up any that are stuck together. Cover with a lid or baking sheet and cook, undisturbed, until golden brown on one side, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl. Repeat with the remaining gnocchi and olive oil.
• Add the butter to the skillet and cook over medium-high, stirring often, until golden-brown and toasty, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the garlic, red-pepper flakes, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and a few grinds of pepper, reducing the heat slightly if necessary to avoid scorching. Add the tomatoes and 3 tablespoons water and cook, shaking the pan occasionally, until the tomatoes have softened and the liquid has slightly thickened, 4 to 6 minutes. Smash the tomatoes as they burst to help them along.
• Add the seared gnocchi and 1/4 cup basil (if using), stir to coat, then shake into an even layer. Top with the mozzarella and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Broil until the cheese is melted and browned in spots, 2 to 4 minutes. Top with more basil, red-pepper flakes and black pepper as desired.