There’s something incredibly comforting about a bowl of pillowy-soft gnocchi coated in a rich, chunky tomato sauce. This homemade version is easier than you think, and the payoff is pure Italian-inspired comfort. Whether it’s your first time making gnocchi or you’re already a fan, this recipe is sure to become a weeknight favourite.
Homemade gnocchi with chunky tomato sauce
Ingredients
- GNOCCHI
- 500 grams Apache potatoes
- 130 grams flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 medium egg, lightly whisked
- CHUNKY TOMATO SAUCE
- 2 celery spears, roughly chopped
- 2 onions, peeled and chopped
- 1 red pepper, seeded and sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 punnet plum tomatoes, halved
- 1 fennel bulb, roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Parmesan, to serve
- Basil, to serve
- Parsley, chopped, to serve
Instructions
GNOCCHI
FILL a pot with cold water and boil potatoes, with the skin on, until soft. Drain, peel and allow to cool.
MASH the cooled potatoes through a fine-mesh sieve. On a clean, flat working surface, mix together flour and salt and make a well in the center. Add the mashed potato and whisked egg and slowly start to incorporate the flour and potato mixture together with your hands. Once everything is mixed together, the dough should be soft but not sticky.
COVER with a damp cloth and allow the dough to rest while you prepare the sauce.
DIVIDE the gnocchi dough into four portions. Roll each portion into a long rope and cut off 2 cm pieces. Gently roll pieces over the back of a flour-dusted fork to create ridges to hold the sauce.
BRING a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the shaped gnocchi in batches and wait until they float to the top. Remove from the water and fry until crispy on the outside. Add about 1 cup of the gnocchi water to your tomato sauce to thin it out, then toss through your gnocchi.
FINISH off your dish with some Parmesan, basil, roughly chopped parsley and the tomatoes you kept aside.
CHUNKY TOMATO SAUCE
PREHEAT the oven to 200°C and line an oven tray with baking paper.
PLACE all the ingredients on the prepared baking tray and roast for 15 minutes until slightly charred. Turn the oven down to 180°C and roast for another 15 minutes or until all the vegetables are soft. Keep half of the tomatoes for garnish.
ADD the rest of the tomatoes and vegetables to a food processor and blend until smooth, Season well and set aside.
Notes
Tip from the team: Do not mash the boiled potatoes through a sieve while they're still hot – this will make them slimy.
