· recipe ·
Sausage Gnocchi Bake with Creamy Tomato Sauce
Tomato cream sauce softens the edges of a sausage ragù without hiding its savory depth. Poaching the handmade dumplings before they enter the oven gives the bake a tender center and a bubbling, browned top.
Time and servings
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 105 min
- Total
- 145 min
- Servings
- 4
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- about 820
- Protein
- 32 g
- Fat
- 45 g
- Carbs
- 73 g
Choose boiling or baking
Choose boiling or baking. Boiled potatoes make a softer, moister dough; baked potatoes make a drier dough that usually needs less flour. To boil, put the whole unpeeled potatoes in cold water, bring to a simmer, and cook for 25 to 35 minutes, until a thin knife slides easily into the center; then drain. To bake instead, pierce them and bake at 425°F220°C for 45 to 60 minutes, until tender.
Mash the potatoes
Peel the potatoes while they are warm. Pass them through a potato ricer, or mash them with a potato masher until no lumps remain. Spread the potato out briefly to let the steam escape.
Mix the dough
Mix the warm potato with the egg yolk, 1/2 tsp3 g of the salt, and 1 cup120 g of the flour. Fold gently until no dry flour remains. If the dough is too sticky to roll, add more of the listed flour a spoonful at a time. Stop when it is soft and slightly tacky; you may not need all the flour.
Roll and cut the dough
Divide the dough and roll each portion into a rope about 3/4 inch2 cm thick on a lightly floured surface. Cut the ropes into 3/4 inch2 cm pieces.
Carpentry Dynasty gnocchi boards15% off with code WOFG15Shop on Amazon →Add the ridges
Roll each piece over a gnocchi board to create beautiful, well-defined ridges that help the sauce cling. A fork can make simple grooves.
Brown the sausage
Heat the oven to 425°F220°C. Remove the sausage from its casings. Warm the olive oil over medium heat, add the sausage, and break it into bite-size pieces as it browns. Dice the onion and add it once the sausage begins to color; cook until softened.
Make the tomato cream sauce
Slice the garlic and add it with the black pepper for 30 seconds. Stir in the crushed tomatoes and simmer until slightly thickened and the thickest sausage pieces reach 160°F71°C. Lower the heat, stir in the light cream, and tear in half of the basil.
Heat the cooking water
While the tomato sauce finishes simmering, bring 3 quarts3 liters of water with 1 1/2 tsp9 g of the salt to a gentle boil.
Poach the gnocchi
Lower the shaped gnocchi into the gently boiling water. Lift them out as soon as they float and let excess water drain away.
Assemble and bake
Fold the gnocchi into the sausage sauce and transfer everything to a baking dish. Tear or grate the mozzarella over the top and bake until the sauce bubbles and the cheese is browned in spots. Rest for 5 minutes and finish with the remaining basil.
