GNOCCHI alla SORRENTINA

This gnocchi dish from Sorrento leans heavily on the local sweet tomatoes and abundant mozzarella.

“Looking at a map, the Sorrentine peninsula juts into the Thyrrhenian sea as if it’s thumbing a ride. It provides the bottom curve of the Gulf of Naples and the top curve of the Gulf of Salerno, while its tip is a few miles from the island of Capri. The bone of the thumb is the rising and remarkable Lattari mountain range, while towns punctuate the coast, which dips steeply towards the sea. One of those towns is Sorrento, known by the Romans as Surrentum (but a village long before)” Rachel Roddy

Perfect for the summer holidays right now, whether you stay in Italy or at home. And after the holidays also great for weekdays, as it is easy and fast to make. Such a beautiful dish.


Ingredients

500g Gnocchi (800g for 4-5 people)

2 x 400g tins peeled whole plum tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, peeled&halved
1 little red chilli
handful basil leaves
250g Mozzarella, drained. (350g for 4-5 people)
70g Parmesan, grated
olive oil



Preparation

1. Put the mozzarella in a sieve with a bowl beneath and drain for 3-4-5h in a fridge. After a 1h I cut the mozzarella in slices and after another hour I cubed it. Of course you can made it directly at the beginning.

2. Heat 3-4-5 tbsp olive oil with garlic and chilli on low to medium heat

3. Add plum tomatoes and cook for 20-30min until thick. Heat the oven to 200 C or 400 F

4. Cook the gnocchi. Add a little bit of the hot tomato sauce to a baking dish (Detroit-style Pizza pan)

5. Add the cooked gnocchi to the baking dish

6. Rest of the tomato sauce on top and add basil leaves

7. Add half of the parmesan and mozzarella
   
   
   

8. Combine everything gently
   
   
   

9. Add rest of the parmesan and mozzarella on top. Put in the oven for 6-8min

10. Serve hot

P.S.

in the hills of Tuscany

(Detroit-style Pizza pan)

I did not realize this has become a global cooking term. Hometown pride

That’s the way to do it Martin. Enjoy the holiday and the good eats.

Thanks for sharing

P.S.

the leftover tasted also great a day later re-heated by 150 C or 300 F. Diffrent, as not as creamy as on Day 1, but more concentrated which you know from re-heated stew dishes.

This recipe looks maybe a bit too simple for some people or not exciting enough, but it’s really tasty.

a black pool in Tuscany

Really enjoy your recipes. The ingredients have to shine when the simplicity is up.