Gnocchi alla sorrentina

To make the gnocchi alla sorrentina, start with the potatoes to make the gnocchi: Wash them under running water to remove any dirt, then place in a large pot, add water 1, and cook for around 30-40 minutes (the time may vary according to the size, so test using the prongs of a fork to see how done they are; if you’d like to reduce the cooking time, you can use a pressure cooker). Next, turn to the sauce: Add a drizzle of oil to a pot along with a whole clove of garlic, crushed, and the tomato puree 2; season with salt and pepper 3.

Allow the flavors to develop with the basil leaves, then cover with a lid 4 and leave to cook for around 30 minutes over medium/low heat. Drain the potatoes well once they’re ready. Sift flour onto a pastry board and create a well 5. Using a potato ricer 6, press the still-warm potatoes out into the well in the flour, or peel and mash the potatoes and place in the well.

Add the egg 7 and salt 8 to the potatoes, then start to knead 9: Do this fairly quickly,

 for just as long as it takes to compact the ingredients 10 and give the dough a uniform and soft (not sticky but not too firm, either) consistency 11. Cover with a clean, dry dishcloth. Bring water to cook the gnocchi to a boil in a large pot, salting the water once boiling. Meanwhile, take one portion of the dough at a time 12, keeping the rest covered,

and roll into a cylinder around ¾ inch to 1 inch (2-3 cm) thick 13. Sprinkle with some semolina and cut the gnocchi from the cylinders using a dough cutter 14. To give them the classic ridges, you can use a gnocchi board 15 or the prongs of a fork.

As you make them, you can put the gnocchi on a tray covered with a clean dishcloth dusted lightly with semolina 16. Once the gnocchi are ready, remove the garlic from the sauce 17 and pour nearly all of the sauce into a very large bowl 18; the remaining sauce will be used at the bottom of the baking dish later on.

Boil the gnocchi in the pot in at least 2/3 batches 19; be sure that the water in the pot is simmering gently and not boiling vigorously to avoid damaging the gnocchi. They’ll only need to cook for a few minutes, and as soon as they’ve risen to the surface, drain using a skimmer and, little by little, add them to the bowl where you put the sauce 20. Stir gently with a spoon 21.

Pour the remaining sauce into a baking dish, drizzle over some oil 22, and then pour in the gnocchi (23-24).

Cover with a layer of diced mozzarella 25 and a sprinkling of Parmigiano 26. Then add another layer of gnocchi 27,

the remaining mozzarella and Parmigiano (28-29). Cook your gnocchi alla sorrentina in broil mode in a conventional oven preheated to 480°F (250°C), for 5 minutes. Serve the dish piping hot 30!