Gnocchi alla Sorrentina

Gnocchi alla Sorrentina are a delicious classic of Campanian cuisine, known for the fresh tomato sauce, stringy mozzarella, and aromatic basil. Here’s how you can prepare them:

Ingredients

• 1 kg potato gnocchi
• 800 g peeled tomatoes or tomato passata
• 250 g buffalo mozzarella or fior di latte
• 100 g grated Parmesan
• Fresh basil to taste
• 1 clove of garlic
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Extra virgin olive oil
• A pinch of sugar (optional)

Preparation

1. Start by preparing the sauce. Heat a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil in a pan and sauté the whole garlic clove until golden, then remove it.
2. Add the peeled tomatoes or tomato passata to the pan. If using peeled tomatoes, crush them a bit with the spoon. Add the basil torn by hand, salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar to correct the acidity of the tomato.
3. Let the sauce simmer on low heat for about 20 minutes, until it thickens.
4. Meanwhile, cook the gnocchi in plenty of salted water following the package instructions; they are usually ready when they float to the surface. Drain the gnocchi and set aside.
5. Cut the mozzarella into cubes and let it drain.
6. Once the sauce is ready, combine the gnocchi with the sauce and mix gently.
7. Take a baking dish and pour a first layer of gnocchi with sauce, then distribute some mozzarella cubes and sprinkle with a bit of Parmesan.
8. Continue layering until ingredients are used up, finishing with Parmesan.
9. Bake the Sorrentina Gnocchi in a preheated oven at 200 °C for about 15-20 minutes or until the surface is golden and the mozzarella is well melted.
10. Serve hot, garnishing with fresh basil leaves if desired.

Trivia

This dish takes its name from the city of Sorrento, located in the Campania region. Tradition has it that the gnocchi are baked in individual “cocotte” dishes, but it’s also possible to prepare them in a single pan and then serve.