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Sorrento-style gnocchi

A hug of tomato, stringy mozzarella, and fragrant basil: gnocchi alla sorrentina are Campanian simplicity stripped down to the essentials, and they never fail to make everyone happy.

Ingredients (for 4 people)

• 800 g potato gnocchi (fresh or homemade)
• 500 g of tomato puree
• 250 g of fiordilatte mozzarella
• 40 g of grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 teaspoon of sugar
• Extra virgin olive oil to taste.
• Fresh basil to taste.
• Salt to taste.
• Ground black pepper to taste.

Preparation

—Mozzarella, first of all—

1. Cut and drain the mozzarella. Cut the mozzarella into 1 cm cubes and place them in a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl. Let it drain for at least 15-20 minutes—any water that drains out is water that, in the pan, would make the sauce runny and watery. This step, which is skipped in many recipes, makes the difference between a creamy dish and one that overflows.

— The tomato sauce —

2. Flavour the oil with garlic. Pour a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil into a large nonstick pan and heat over medium heat. Add the garlic clove, crushed with the palm of your hand, leaving it unpeeled. Let it brown slowly for a couple of minutes, turning once. The unpeeled garlic releases its aroma into the oil without becoming bitter—and it can be removed without hesitation before the tomato.

3. Build the sauce. Remove the garlic and pour the tomato puree directly into the pan. Add the teaspoon of sugar—it helps balance the acidity of the puree, not sweeten the sauce—a few basil leaves, salt, and a generous grind of pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, until the sauce has thickened slightly and lost the rawness of the uncooked tomato.

— The gnocchi and the creaming —

4. Cook the gnocchi. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Drop the gnocchi into the water and keep an eye on them: they're ready 20-30 seconds after they float to the surface. Don't delay—gnocchi that remain in the water will fall apart. Drain them with a slotted spoon directly into the pan with the sauce, reserving a little of the starchy cooking water.

5. Add mozzarella and parmesan. Spread the drained mozzarella cubes over the gnocchi and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Stir gently over medium-high heat: the mozzarella will begin to melt and form those long, delicious strands that are the signature of this dish. Don't overcook—1-2 minutes is enough; the residual heat will do the rest.

— The service —

6. Plate and garnish. Spoon the gnocchi onto plates, ensuring each portion has a generous amount of mozzarella. Garnish with a few fresh basil leaves—hand-torn, not chopped—and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Serve immediately: Sorrento doesn't wait.

Important notes

• The right mozzarella: Use fiordilatte (cow's milk mozzarella), not buffalo mozzarella. Buffalo mozzarella has too much moisture and a more intense flavor that overwhelms the delicate sauce. Fiordilatte cheese stretches better and blends in more harmoniously.
• Fresh or packaged gnocchi: If you have time, homemade gnocchi made with floury potatoes (Agria, Bintje) are a significant step up in quality. Packaged ones work well, but tend to be firmer—in any case, cook them without abandoning them.
• Sugar in the sauce: A teaspoon is enough and you won't notice it—it just helps smooth out the acidity of the passata. If you're using fresh, ripe tomatoes in the summer, you can omit it entirely.
• Calories recalculated: The original source indicated 740 kcal/portion, but the actual calculation on gnocchi (2,240 kcal), mozzarella (625 kcal), parmesan (152 kcal), passata (100 kcal) and oil (270 kcal) brings to about 3,400 kcal total, equal to ~850 kcal/serving. The value in the box has been corrected accordingly.

Enjoy your meal!