Homemade gnocchi with tomato basil sauce

Serves:

Ingredients

• 1.5kg potatoes
• 3 eggs
• 270g plain flour, plus extra (use Gluten-free flour)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 680g jar tomato passata or tomato puree
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• half a cup basil leaves
• freshly grated parmesan, to serve

Method

Peel potatoes and cut into large chunks. Place in a large saucepan of water, cover and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer until cooked.

Drain potatoes well and mash until smooth. I have a fabulous Moulineaux that minces the potato into beautiful lump free ribbons. Allow potato to cool for 10 minutes. Add eggs and mix well. Add flour a handful at a time and work in with your hands until the potato mixture is a dough-like consistency.

Turn potato mixture on to a lightly floured bench and knead until smooth. Add more flour if it is too sticky, but dont over do it.

Divide dough into eight pieces. Dust bench with flour and roll each piece into a sausage 1cm diameter. Cut gnocchi into 2cm long (I dipped my knife in flour to reduce the sticking). Leave as is, or press the back of a fork onto each gnocchi (the indentations help the sauce stick to the gnocchi).

To make the tomato sauce, heat the oil in a non-stick frypan over medium high heat. Cook the onion until soft and starting to colour, add garlic and cook another minute. Add tomato passata, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Bring a large pot of water to the boil and add a tablespoon of olive oil. Collect all the gnocchi onto a tea towel and carefully tip into the pot (a second adult is handy here).

Once all the gnocchi have floated to the top, cook for another minute, drain and return to pot. Carefully stir through tomato sauce, add freshly torn basil and serve immediately with parmesan.

Notes:

• I made gluten-free gnocchi using gluten-free flour.
• This is not a speedy mid-week meal (I tried!), but a fantastic recipe to make on a lazy weekend day with the kids. All that flour, kneading, dividing dough into sausages and cutting into little bits.
• Recipe created by Melissa Hughes for Kidspot.

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Serving Suggestions

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