Easy gnocchi

This simple homemade gnocchi is combined with a tasty tomato sauce that will give you the satisfaction of making your own pasta from scratch. It's a lot easier than you think!

Ingredients

  • 1kg desiree potatoes

    peeled and cut into thick slices

  • 1 tsp salt

  • 1 egg

  • 250g plain flour

    + a little extra

  • 1 carrot

    peeled and roughly chopped

  • 1 onion

    peeled and roughly chopped

  • 1 clove garlic

    peeled

  • 2 tbsp olive oil

  • 2 tbsp tomato paste

  • 2 diced tomatoes

    (400g each)

  • sea salt

    to taste

  • freshly ground black pepper

    to taste

  • 1 sprig fresh herbs

Allergy Advice

Contains Eggs

Contains Gluten

Equipment

  • 1 large pot
  • 1 blender
  • 1 wide pan or large frypan
  • 1 potato masher
  • 1 wooden spoon
  • 1 slotted spoon

Instructions

  1. Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water, bring to the boil and reduce heat to simmer. Add 1 tsp salt and cook until tender then drain.
  2. Make tomato sauce by processing carrot, onion and garlic in the blender until finely diced. Add 1 tbsp olive oil in a wide pan or large frypan and fry the diced mix for 5 minutes or so over a medium low heat.
  3. Add tomato paste and mix well. Add tinned tomatoes. Stir well. Add 1/2 cup water and simmer for 20 minutes or so over a low heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste and leave on a low simmer.
  4. Mash boiled potatoes well with a masher until smooth. Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Mix in egg and flour with a wooden spoon until a sticky dough forms. Put on a pot of salted water to boil.
  5. Flour work surface and roll lumps of gnocchi dough into smooth sausage shapes (about 2cm thick). Cut sausage shapes into 2cm pieces and drop into boiling water, 10 or so at a time. They are cooked when they float.
  6. Carefully lift cooked gnocchi out of water with a slotted spoon and add to simmering tomato sauce. Continue rolling, cooking and dropping gnocchi into sauce until dough is all used up. Season with lots of salt and pepper and garnish with fresh herbs.

Notes

Tip
I always, always use desiree or pontiac potatoes, they work every time. Some other varieties might result in a gluey finish, so take my advice and stick to the winning spuds!
Tip
Don't be tempted to put the cooked potatoes in the blender to get a smooth texture. It just doesn't work and you'll end up with a greyish, gluey mess!

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