harvest // blog issue 01.

Pillow Soft Potato Gnocchi w. Red Wine Tomato Sauce

In these lengthening evenings, tingling with early spring chill, the best possible way to keep the dark at bay is to gather around a laden table, hearts and glasses full to the brim. This divine little dish is a symbol of ideas, passion, purpose and place. Each family has a unique take on tomato sauce and for me, this is a winner. We secretly packed a couple extra serves of veg in this one, so it is goodness in disguise. The simplicity of homemade gnocchi and a simple tomato sauce is endearing and absolutely delicious.

🍽 Serves 4 | 🕒 45 min | 🔪 Intermediate

Ingredients

Potato Gnocchi

2 Russet Potatoes

4 Egg Yolks (160g/ 5.5 oz.)

50g Flour (plus extra for rolling) (1¾ oz.)

¼ cup Parmesan Cheese, grated (60g/ 2 oz.)

2 tsp Thyme, fresh, chopped

1/2 tsp Salt

Tomato Sauce

1 tin Plum or Roma Tomatoes, whole (32 oz.)

1 tin Tomato Paste, salt reduced (170g/ 6 oz.)

1 Onion, preferred color, chopped (1 cup)

1 Carrot, large grated

1 cup Red Wine

1 cup Mushrooms, sliced (6 small mushies)

6-8 Garlic Cloves, thin sliced

¼ cup Olive Oil

2 Tbs Oregano, fresh or dried

1 Tbs Calabrian Chili (optional)

1 Tbs Kosher Salt

Method

Gnocchi

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF / 180ºC. Oil potatoes, season with salt and place on a baking tray and cook for 70 minutes until soft to touch.

2. Remove potatoes from oven and allow to cool. Gnocchi can be made on the the day that the potatoes are baked (once cooled) but for the best results, prepare gnocchi from chilled potatoes, stored in the fridge overnight.

3. Slice potatoes in half lengthways and press the flesh through a cake cooling rack to obtain a semi-fine crumb. Alternatively, churn the potato through a potato ricer. Remove or smoothen out large pieces.

4. Add parmesan, flour, thyme, salt and yolk. Important: use a plastic bench scraper to incorporate ingredients and bring together dough. Wrap dough airtight in cling film and rest on the counter for 20 minutes, any longer and I advise storing in the refrigerator.

5. When you’re ready to roll pasta, flour a clean work surface with a half handful of flour. Working in two separate batches, roll your dough by hand to form a 1-inch thick sausage. Using your plastic bench scrape portion the dough sausage into equal 1 to 2 inch “pillows”. By now your dough may have absorbed most of the flour.

6. Using 1 tablespoon extra flour, roll your pillows into equally shaped logs. You may decide to use a fork, gnocchi board or simply leave in a cylinder log. See my video on gnocchi shaping on my instagram (@cheftimneumann) story highlights for some ninja gnocchi forming skills. Place gnocchi on a tray lined with parchment/ baking paper and place into the freezer for a minimum of 30 minutes before boiling. This will help you handle the gnocchi easier when dropping into cooking water.

Tomato Sauce

1. Finely dice your onion, grate carrot and thinly slice garlic. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium to high heat. Begin by cooking the diced onion stir often until translucent and sweet (15 minutes). Add some water periodically to steam, allowing onion to remain at a moderate heat. Be patient and sauté long and slow, you don’t want to brown the onion but instead “sweat”. This will sweeten the onion and the overall sauce immensely.

2. Add sliced mushrooms and carrot and continue cooking for 3-5 minutes until softened. Add chili and tomato paste stiring regularly to avoid burning. Add red wine. This will help boil off (or “deglaze”) any of the tomato paste cooked to the bottom so use this opportunity to scrape the base of the pan with a wooden spoon.

3. Add plum tomatoes, garlic cloves and oregano. Stir to incorporate all ingredients. Bring sauce to a boil then reduce heat to low to faint simmer. You can cover the pot or leave lid half off to assist reducing the sauce. The longer and more gradual you cook the more intense and candy sweet your sauce will be. In my experience, my best sauces simmer for no less than 2 hours! Season to taste with black pepper and salt.’

4. Completely optional, is whether you decide to puree your cooked tomatoes into a smooth sauce or leave more wholesome and rustic. I like to use my Braun Multi-quick immersion blender to cream this into a delightfully smooth “passata”. Sauce will last in a airtight container for up to 1 month or freeze for up to 1 year. Goodness knows, it doesn’t last long around my house.

FINISHING AND SERVING

1. When you’re ready to serve. Set up two pans on separate stove burners. One for your boiling water and one sauté pan for finishing the gnocchi in the sauce. Bring water to a rapid boil and add salt. Add frozen gnocchi to the water and cover. This “blanching” process is not cooking the gnocchi to doneness, but 75% ready. Gnocchi are ready to be pulled from the water when they float.

2. In your saucepan, lightly heat your passata sauce, portioning approximately 1/2 cup - 1 cup per person. When gnocchi begin to float, pull them out of the water into the sauce with a slotted spoon or our favorite tool, a Pasta Scoop. Don’t discard the water just yet.

3. Add 2 tablespoons of the starchy “pasta” water into the sauce for a light silken sauce. Grate in some Parmesan cheese, black pepper, basil (optional) and serve. Toasted Slice Baguette also optional but strongly recommended.

4. Gather those you love around the table, Coravin a vino and cherish this dish! I hope you made extra sauce, your family will be begging for extra.

Nutrition Facts

POTATO GNOCCHI

TOMATO SAUCE

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