Gnocchi al Pomodoro

Gnocchi

• floury potatoes1 kg
• plain flour200 g
• egg yolks1
• salt1 tsp
• nutmeg1 pinch

Sauce

• tinned plum tomatoes400 g
• garlic cloves2
• olive oil3 tbsp
• basil1 handful
• Parmesan50 g
• salt1 pinch

Gnocchi

1. 01

   Heat the oven to 200°C. Bake the potatoes whole in their skins for 1 hour. Baking keeps them dry; boiled potatoes soak up water and make a wetter, heavier dough.

2. 02

   Halve them while still hot and push the flesh through a ricer onto a board. Spread it out and let the steam go.

3. 03

   Scatter over the flour and the teaspoon of salt, grate over the nutmeg, add the egg yolk, and bring it together with a scraper in as few movements as you can manage. Kneading develops gluten and gives you rubber.

4. 04

   Roll into ropes the thickness of a thumb, cut into 2 cm pieces, and roll each down a fork if you want the ridges.

5. 05

   Cook in batches in well-salted simmering water. They are done 20 seconds after they float.

Sauce

6. 06

   Lightly crush the garlic cloves with the flat of a knife and warm them in the olive oil until they smell sweet, then crush the tinned plum tomatoes into the pan by hand and add a pinch of salt.

7. 07

   Simmer for 15 minutes, then fish out the garlic and tear in most of the basil.

8. 08

   Lift the gnocchi straight from the water into the sauce with a slotted spoon and turn them through gently.

9. 09

   Grate the Parmesan and serve the gnocchi with it and the rest of the basil.