Soft homemade gnocchi made with fluffy potatoes and flour are folded through a rich tomato and basil sauce. Sweet tomatoes, garlic and fragrant herbs bring plenty of flavour to this Italian-inspired dish is ideal for a relaxed supper with family or friends.
Adjust servings before adding ingredients to your shopping list. Cooking times are a guide and may need to be adjusted if you change the serving size.
4
servings
Tomato sauce
2tbspvegetable (rapeseed) oil
1onion, finely chopped
2clovesgarlic, finely chopped, grated or crushed
1tbsptomato purée
150mlred wine
2x 400 g canschopped tomatoes
1tspsugar
1bay leaf
1x 30 g bagfresh basil, leaves plucked and roughly torn
Freshly ground black pepper
Gnocchi
1kgfloury potatoes such as Maris Piper or King Edwards, peeled and cut into large chunks
Freshly ground black pepper
1egg
150gplain flour
150gwholemeal flour
Method
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Tomato sauceHeat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook gently for 8-10 minutes until softened and translucent.
Stir in the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the tomato purée and cook for 1 minute, stirring continuously.
Pour in the red wine and allow it to bubble gently for 2-3 minutes until slightly reduced. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, sugar and bay leaf. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 35-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened and rich. Prepare the gnocchi whilst the tomato sauce is reducing.
Remove from the heat, discard the bay leaf and stir through the basil leaves. Season generously with freshly ground black pepper.
The gnocchiPlace the potatoes into a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil and cook for 15-20 minutes until tender. Drain well and leave to steam dry for a few minutes. Mash until smooth and spread onto a tray or large plate to cool completely.
Once potatoes have cooled completely, place them into a large bowl and season with black pepper. Add the egg and both flours and gently mix to form a soft dough. Avoid overworking the mixture or the gnocchi may become heavy.
Lightly flour a work surface and divide the dough into 4 pieces. Roll each piece into a long sausage shape about 2cm thick, then cut into bite-sized pieces.
Place the gnocchi onto a lightly floured tray and chill for 15-20 minutes if time allows. This helps them firm up and hold their shape during cooking.
You can leave the gnocchi as they are or, if you prefer the traditional gnocchi look, roughly shape each piece into a ball or oval, then gently roll it down the back of a fork using your thumb to create grooves on one side. This will also help the sauce cling to the gnocchi.
Bringing it all togetherBring the tomato sauce to a gentle simmer. In the meantime, fill another large pan with water and bring to the boil. Carefully add the gnocchi in batches and cook for 2-3 minutes until they rise to the surface. Lift out carefully using a slotted spoon and transfer to the gently bubbling tomato sauce.Carefully fold together until evenly coated. Serve immediately.
SMART notes & tips
Got some spinach or rocket to use up? Stir it through the sauce just before serving.
If basil isn't available, try a smaller amount of parsley instead.
Nutrition per serving
Nutrient
Amount
% RI
Energy
2,586 kJ / 612 kcal
31%
Total Fat
7.0 g
10%
Saturated Fat
1.0 g
5%
Sugars
13.0 g
14%
Fibre
10.0 g
33%
Protein
29.0 g
58%
Salt
0.3 g
5%
%RI: Recommended Intake (RI) values are based on the daily needs of an average adult consuming 8400kJ/2000kcal. Fibre recommendations are based on the UK guideline intake of 30g fibre per day.
1x 30 g bagfresh basil, leaves plucked and roughly torn
Freshly ground black pepper
Gnocchi
1kgfloury potatoes such as Maris Piper or King Edwards, peeled and cut into large chunks
Freshly ground black pepper
1egg
150gplain flour
150gwholemeal flour
2tbspvegetable (rapeseed) oil
1onion, finely chopped
1
Tomato sauceHeat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook gently for 8-10 minutes until softened and translucent.
2clovesgarlic, finely chopped, grated or crushed
1tbsptomato purée
2
Stir in the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the tomato purée and cook for 1 minute, stirring continuously.
150mlred wine
2x 400 g canschopped tomatoes
1tspsugar
1bay leaf
3
Pour in the red wine and allow it to bubble gently for 2-3 minutes until slightly reduced. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, sugar and bay leaf. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 35-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened and rich. Prepare the gnocchi whilst the tomato sauce is reducing.
1x 30 g bagfresh basil, leaves plucked and roughly torn
Freshly ground black pepper
4
Remove from the heat, discard the bay leaf and stir through the basil leaves. Season generously with freshly ground black pepper.
1kgfloury potatoes such as Maris Piper or King Edwards, peeled and cut into large chunks
5
The gnocchiPlace the potatoes into a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil and cook for 15-20 minutes until tender. Drain well and leave to steam dry for a few minutes. Mash until smooth and spread onto a tray or large plate to cool completely.
Freshly ground black pepper
1egg
150gplain flour
150gwholemeal flour
6
Once potatoes have cooled completely, place them into a large bowl and season with black pepper. Add the egg and both flours and gently mix to form a soft dough. Avoid overworking the mixture or the gnocchi may become heavy.
7
Lightly flour a work surface and divide the dough into 4 pieces. Roll each piece into a long sausage shape about 2cm thick, then cut into bite-sized pieces.
8
Place the gnocchi onto a lightly floured tray and chill for 15-20 minutes if time allows. This helps them firm up and hold their shape during cooking.
You can leave the gnocchi as they are or, if you prefer the traditional gnocchi look, roughly shape each piece into a ball or oval, then gently roll it down the back of a fork using your thumb to create grooves on one side. This will also help the sauce cling to the gnocchi.
9
Bringing it all togetherBring the tomato sauce to a gentle simmer. In the meantime, fill another large pan with water and bring to the boil. Carefully add the gnocchi in batches and cook for 2-3 minutes until they rise to the surface. Lift out carefully using a slotted spoon and transfer to the gently bubbling tomato sauce.Carefully fold together until evenly coated. Serve immediately.
