Potato Gnocchi with Fresh Cherry Tomato and Basil Sauce
Inspired by techniques from Serious Eats and NYT Cooking.
This follows the same potato gnocchi method as our classic recipe, with the slow butter-tomato sauce swapped for a quick, fresh cherry tomato and basil sauce.
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Method
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Equipment
- baking tray
- potato ricer or food mill
- bench scraper
- fine sieve
- 2 baking trays dusted with flour or semolina
- large pot (at least 5 litres)
- slotted spoon or spider strainer
- large frying pan (28 cm)
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 448 kcal |
| Protein | 12 g |
| Carbohydrate | 71.4 g |
| of which sugars | 5.2 g |
| of which free sugars | 0 g |
| Fat | 13.4 g |
| of which saturates | 2.8 g |
| Fibre | 7 g |
| Salt | 2.02 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
2.7 g High Protein needs ≥ 10 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
Metric · 4 servings
Gnocchi
- 1 kg floury potatoes (such as Maris Piper, King Edward or russet), scrubbed
- 1 large egg yolk
- 140 g plain flour, plus extra for dusting you may need 10-20 g less or more
- 3 g fine sea salt or table salt about ½ tsp
Sauce
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 500 g cherry tomatoes, halved
- 3 g fine sea salt or table salt about ½ tsp
- 15 g basil leaves
Pasta water
- 40 g fine salt for 4 litres of pasta water (1%) about 6¾ tsp; most of it goes down the drain
To serve
- 20 g Parmesan, finely grated
- 1
Bake the potatoes. Preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan) at least 20 minutes ahead, prick the potatoes and bake directly on the rack for 50-60 minutes, until a knife slides in with no resistance. As with the classic gnocchi, baking rather than boiling keeps the flesh dry, so less flour is needed.
- 2
Rice the potatoes. While still hot, halve the potatoes and scoop the flesh through a ricer onto the worktop in a thin layer, letting it stand for 5 minutes to steam off a little moisture while still warm.
- 3
Bring the dough together. Sprinkle over the salt and egg yolk, sieve over two-thirds of the flour and cut it in with a bench scraper, then gather and fold-press 4-5 times, adding the remaining flour only until it just holds together and feels barely tacky. Avoid kneading or smearing it, which would overwork the gluten and make the gnocchi rubbery.
- 4
Test and shape. Boil a single piece to test it, folding in another 1-2 tbsp of flour if it falls apart. Cut the dough into 6 pieces, roll each into a 2cm rope and cut into 2cm lengths, then roll each down a fork or gnocchi board for ridges and lay them on floured trays without touching.
- 5
Cook the garlic gently. Warm the olive oil and sliced garlic in a frying pan over medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes, until the garlic turns pale gold. Starting it gently like this stops the garlic burning and turning bitter before the tomatoes go in.
- 6
Burst the tomatoes. Raise the heat to medium-high, add the cherry tomatoes and salt, and cook for 8-10 minutes, pressing some of them with a spoon as you go. Many should burst into a chunky sauce while others keep their shape, since the short cooking time is what keeps the flavour fresh and bright rather than cooked-down. Tear in half of the basil at the end.
- 7
Cook until they float. Bring 4 litres of water and the 40g of salt to a rolling boil, then cook the gnocchi in 2 batches. They're ready when they float, after about 2 minutes, then give them 30 seconds more before lifting them straight into the sauce with a slotted spoon, keeping a mug of the cooking water.
- 8
Finish and serve. Add the gnocchi to the sauce with 2-3 tbsp of the cooking water and shake the pan gently for 1 minute to coat everything. Serve straight away with the remaining basil and Parmesan scattered over.
Storage
Shaped, uncooked gnocchi freeze well on a floured tray for up to 2 months and cook from frozen with an extra minute. Cooked gnocchi with sauce keep in the fridge for up to 2 days; reheat gently until piping hot. Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
