The traditional recipe for Gnocchi

The recipe is contributed by Claudia Sartini-Rideout.

Ingredients, serves 4

• 2 ¼ pounds potatoes
• 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• Salt
• Choice of sauce, to serve

Steps

• Steam the potatoes for 25 minutes or until tender, then mash with a potato masher while they are still hot.
• Stir in the flour, egg and a pinch of salt and knead to a soft, elastic dough.
• Be careful with the ratio of potato to flour: if there is too much flour, the gnocchi will be hard; if there is too much potato, they tend to disintegrate while cooking.
• Shape the dough into ling rolled just over 2/3 inch in diameter and cut into ¾-inch length.
• Press them gently against the underside of a greater and arranged on a dish towel dusted with flour.
• Bring a large pan of lightly salted water to a boil, add the gnocchi, a few at a time, and remove with a slotted spoon as they rise to the surface.
• Drain, put on a warm serving dish and pour your chosen sauce over them.

Tomato Sauce

Ingredient, Serves 4

• 9 ounces canned tomatoes or fresh tomatoes, peeled
• Pinch of sugar
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 10 fresh basil leaves, torn

Steps

Put the tomatoes with their can juice, if using canned tomatoes, into a pan and add the sugar, garlic and a pinch of salt. Cover and cook over a very low heat for about 30 minutes without stirring. Mash the tomatoes with a wooden spoon and, if using canned tomatoes, cook for a further 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool. Stir in the olive oil and basil.