Potato Gnocchi with Tomato Sauce

This recipe is one we have made several times in our family. While it takes a bit of time, it really is easy and very yummy. My gnocchi is always really rustic looking - no perfect little discs in sight!

I never use pre-made pasta sauce because it really is pretty easy to make your own and home made is always so much better. My recipe for a tomato pasta sauce has no precise measurements but you can guarantee it will always have tomato, onion and loads of garlic.


Potato Gnocchi
500g of cooked floury potatoes (ideally baked with skins on to keep them really dry, but peeled and boiled is fine too)
1 egg yolk
1 cup of flour
3 tablespoons of parmesan (I use a bit more)

Mash and measure 2 cups of potato into a large bowl. Mix in yolk, parmesan, 1/4 tsp of salt and some black pepper. Slowly add flour until you have a slightly sticky dough.

Knead for 5 minutes, adding more flour if necessary, until the dough is smooth.

Divide the dough into 6 portions and roll each portion on a lightly floured surface to form a thin sausage shape about 2cm thick.

Cut rolls into 2.5 cm thick shapes. Press into an oval in palm of hand against a floured fork.
As you make them place on a lightly floured baking tray and cover with a tea towel until ready to use.

Cook gnocchi in batches in a large pan of salted boiling water for about 2 minutes. Gnocchi will float to the surface when cooked. Drain well before serving.

Tomato Sauce

2-5 cloves of garlic crushed or finely chopped

1 onion finely chopped

1 stick of celery finely diced

1 anchovy fillet

olive oil

2 tins of crushed tomatoes

2 tbs tomato paste

1 tsp of sugar

chopped fresh herbs - basil, thyme, oregano

salt and pepper to taste

Slowly sweat the garlic, onion, celery and anchovy in oil until soft. Add tomatoes, paste and sugar and salt and pepper. You may want to blend it at this stage or leave it chunky.  Add fresh chopped herbs just before serving.