For the gnocchi:

2 lbs yellow or red potatoes, boiled, peeled and mashed

2 cups flour (more if needed, plus for rolling and dusting)

1 tsp salt

 NOTE: You can substitute with frozen gnocchi if you don’t have time to make your own.

For the Marinara sauce:

3 Tbsp EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)

1 clove of garlic, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

1 (26 oz) container of strained tomatoes ( I use Pomi from Italy) 

1 cup water

Fresh basil and salt to taste

To complete the dish:

1 lbs of fresh mozzarella, diced

Grated Parmigiano and ground pepper to taste

Preparation:

Place cooled mashed potatoes on a floured board. Make a well and place flour in the middle. Add the salt.

Gently mix the flour with the potatoes until flour is fully absorbed. If dough is too soft, add a bit more flour. Do not overmix or the gnocchi will be tough after you cook them. Dough consistency should be like playdough. Form into a ball.

Cut pieces of dough (each the size of a tennis ball) and roll into 1“ thick logs. Make sure to keep your board floured.

Make 1” cuts into each log. Continue to add flour as needed to avoid sticking. While holding a fork (sprinkled with flour) with one hand, use the other hand to pick up a little dough chunk and roll gently over the inside of the fork teeth. Repeat until all dough is gone.

Place each gnocco on a floured tray or cookie sheet. Sprinkle with flour and let the gnocchi sit for 40-45 minutes before cooking. This step is important or the gnocchi will melt in the hot water when cooking if they are not dry. Now it’s a good time to make the sauce.

In a sauce pan, pour EVOO. Add chopped garlic and onion. Sauté on medium-low heat until golden. Add the tomato sauce, water and salt. Bring to a low simmer and cook covered for 30 minutes. Shut off heat, add basil and cover until ready to use.

Cook gnocchi in a pot with plenty of hot water and salt to taste until they come to the surface. It will not take too long so keep an eye on the pot.

Drain gnocchi and place into a bowl. Add a couple of scoops of sauce, stir gently and set aside.

Using either 4 individual ovenproof terracotta bowls or one larger baking dish, follow these steps for perfect assembly.

Place a little sauce on the bottom of the baking dish or bowl. Add a layer of gnocchi (half quantity), a layer of diced mozzarella and a generous sprinkle of grated Parmigiano. Cover with the rest of the gnocchi. Top with the remaining mozzarella, a little sauce and grated Parmigiano.

Bake at 400 for 5 to 10 minutes or until mozzarella is golden. Serve hot with a sprinkle of fresh ground pepper (Optional).

TIPS:

Feel free to use frozen gnocchi instead of making your own.

Fresh mozzarella works best for this recipe but make sure to drain excess liquid from it after you cut it.

You can use crushed tomatoes in a can if you can’t find Pomi.