Gnocchi alla Sorrentina Recipe With Creamy Mozzarella
Written by MasterClass
Last updated: Dec 21, 2021 • 3 min read
Learn how to make saucy gnocchi alla Sorrentina, a Southern Italian baked pasta topped with cheese and fresh basil for the ultimate in comfort food.
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What Is Gnocchi alla Sorrentina?
Gnocchi alla Sorrentina is a recipe from the Sorrento, a part of the Campania region of Italy. The dish consists of potato gnocchi baked in tomato sauce and fresh mozzarella and then topped with grated Parmesan cheese and fresh basil. Gnocchi, Italian for “lumps,” are dumplings made from mashed potatoes combined with just enough flour to hold the dough together. They’re formed by rolling the dough, which sometimes contains eggs as a binding agent, into a thin log and then cutting that into bite-size pieces. Ridges are sometimes added by pressing gnocchi against a fork or ridged wooden gnocchi board.
6 Tips for Making Gnocchi alla Sorrentina
Follow these tips to make the best gnocchi:
- 1. Use the right potato. Old, starchy potatoes, such as russet, make the best gnocchi.
- 2. Dry out your potatoes. Rice and dry out the potatoes as soon as possible after baking to evaporate the most moisture. Protect your hands with a dry kitchen towel, gloves, or oven mitts. Let the riced potatoes cool fully before making the dough—this will ensure the potatoes can dry properly and don’t cook the egg yolk prematurely.
- 3. Get the texture right. The less flour you use, the more tender your gnocchi will be. If the dough is very sticky, add just enough extra flour to make it workable for the perfect firm but pillowy texture.
- 4. Use a light touch. When kneading and shaping the dough, use as little force as possible. Overworking the dough will cause it to become tough.
- 5. Add ridges. You can add sauce-catching ridges to your gnocchi by lightly rolling each dumpling against the tines of a fork.
- 6. Save gnocchi for later. Freeze unboiled gnocchi on lightly floured parchment-lined baking sheets. Transfer frozen gnocchi to a zip-top freezer bag and boil in small batches. (Too many frozen gnocchi in one pot will lower the water temperature.)
Baked Gnocchi alla Sorrentina Recipe
makes
prep time
1 hr 30 mintotal time
2 hr 10 mincook time
40 minIngredients
For the gnocchi
For the sauce and serving
- 1
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Use a fork to pierce each potato in a few places. On a rimmed baking sheet, bake potatoes until tender, about 40-60 minutes. Remove from oven and let them rest until just cool enough to handle. Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
- 2
Halve the potatoes and scoop the flesh into a potato ricer. Rice the potatoes onto a large rimmed baking sheet into a roughly even layer (do not compact). Cool completely to room temperature, about 10-15 minutes.
- 3
Transfer cooled potatoes to a large bowl, add the flour, and toss to coat.
- 4
Form a well in the center of the potato-flour mixture. Add egg yolk and salt and stir with a fork until a moist, shaggy mixture forms.
- 5
Transfer the mixture to a lightly floured surface and knead just until the dough comes together, adding a little flour if needed.
- 6
Form the dough into a ball, then divide into four equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ¾-inch-thick rope and use a bench scraper or knife to cut the rope into ¾-inch pieces. Transfer the gnocchi to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- 7
Fill a large pot with water and a generous pinch of salt and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add the gnocchi to the boiling water, making sure not to crowd the gnocchi. Boil until the gnocchi rise to the surface and feel tender, about 4 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to drain the cooked gnocchi and transfer to a large bowl. Drizzle a little olive oil over the gnocchi to prevent them from sticking together, and repeat with remaining gnocchi.
- 8
While the gnocchi cooks, warm olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- 9
Add the tomato puree, sugar, basil, and kosher salt. Reduce heat to simmer, occasionally stirring, until flavors meld, about 10 minutes.
- 10
Stir in the homemade gnocchi and Parmigiano Reggiano; transfer to a baking dish.
- 11
Scatter the mozzarella over the top and transfer to the oven. Bake gnocchi until sauce is bubbling and mozzarella is melted and browned in spots, 10–20 minutes.
- 12
Serve immediately with more Parmigiano Reggiano and fresh basil leaves over the top.
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