As much as homemade gnocchi is sort of dreamy in its own way (at least to me), honestly, the thing that takes this dish over the top is the sauce. Ohhh, this sauce!
Perfectly ripened tomatoes, tossed with garlic and olive oil, and hand-torn basil. And a nice sprinkling of coarse salt and freshly ground pepper. Pop this into the oven, set the timer, and walk away. Soak up the aroma.
In about an hour and a half, you’ll be greeted with this. Resist the urge to just eat it all with a spoon and call it day. 
While the roasted tomatoes are cooling, go ahead and make the gnocchi. Gnocchi seems scary, but its really just a mixture of cooked potato, beaten egg, and flour. And, in this case, crumbled goat cheese. Oh yes, I went there.
Feel free to skip this step entirely–and substitute with fresh store-bought gnocchi or dried pasta. Perhaps cappellini or fusilli? Both sound good to me.
At this point, you’ll want to make your sauce. The easiest way to do this is to grab a fine-meshed sieve, grab a handful of roast tomatoes, and start to press it through with a rubber spatula or spoon. Think of it as your arm workout for the day.
This step will make a really smooth, delicate sauce, but also one that super concentrated and bursting with flavor. It may sound counter-intuitive to get rid of all those delicious garlic and caramelized bits, but trust me, everything will work out in the end.
Heat the sauce in a small skillet, season with salt and pepper, add a handful of fresh basil at the end, and toss gently with the cooked gnocchi and/or pasta.
And since I am the unofficial spokesman (and this goes without being said), don’t forget to add a nice dusting of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese on top. Seasonal eating at its best. Do it!
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Homemade Gnocchi with Tomato Basil Sauce
- Total Time: 135 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4
- Diet: Omnivore
Description
Homemade gnocchi tossed in a vibrant roasted tomato basil sauce. Perfect for a weeknight dinner or a special occasion.
Ingredients
- 1 lbs (454 g) baby new (gold) potatoes
- 3 oz (85 g) soft goat cheese, crumbled
- 1 1/2 cups (200 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg, slightly beaten
- salt
- pepper
- 4 lbs (1815 g) vine-ripened tomatoes, quartered
- 5 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1/4 cups (60 ml) lightly packed basil leaves, roughly torn
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- salt
- pepper
- 1/4 packed basil (for finishing)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Quarter the tomatoes and lay them cut-side up on a baking sheet.
- Sprinkle with minced garlic and torn basil.
- Drizzle with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper.
- Toss everything until well coated.
- Roast for 1.5 hours, or until the tomatoes are completely soft and caramelized.
- Remove the tomatoes from the oven and let cool until almost room temperature.
- Push the roasted tomatoes through a fine-meshed sieve, discarding the skin, seeds, and fiber.
- Before serving, reheat the sauce and reduce as necessary to thicken. Season with salt and pepper.
- At the last minute, add a chiffonade of fresh basil.
- Peel and cut the potatoes into roughly 1.5-inch chunks.
- Add the potato chunks to a saucepan, cover with cold water, salt generously, and bring to a boil.
- Lower the heat and simmer until the potatoes are tender, then drain well.
- Mash the potatoes until smooth using a potato ricer or masher.
- Transfer the mashed potatoes to a bowl and let cool until lukewarm.
- Add goat cheese, flour, salt, pepper, and a slightly beaten egg. Gently mix until the dough comes together.
- Season with salt and pepper and knead to form a firm dough.
- Cut the dough into smaller pieces, roll each into 3/4-inch dowels, and cut into 1-inch pieces.
- Set the gnocchi aside on a lightly floured baking sheet or parchment paper.
- Bring a large pot of water to a gentle simmer. Salt generously.
- Gently add the gnocchi and cook until they rise to the surface.
- Remove the gnocchi with a slotted spoon and transfer to the warm tomato sauce.
- Serve immediately with parmigiano-reggiano cheese and fresh basil chiffonade.
Notes
- For a richer flavor, use roasted garlic instead of raw garlic in the tomato sauce.
- To prevent the gnocchi from sticking together, toss them lightly with flour after cutting them into pieces.
- Leftover gnocchi can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days; refresh them by gently simmering in boiling water before reheating.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 90 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 500
- Sugar: 10
- Sodium: 600
- Fat: 25
- Saturated Fat: 10
- Unsaturated Fat: 12
- Carbohydrates: 70
- Fiber: 5
- Protein: 15
- Cholesterol: 100
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know when my gnocchi dough has too much flour?
The dough should be soft and slightly tacky but not sticky enough to cling to your hands. Adding too much flour makes the cooked gnocchi dense and stiff rather than light. Start with less flour than you think you need and work in more only if the dough won’t hold together.
Why do my gnocchi fall apart in the boiling water?
This usually means either the potato still has too much moisture or the dough was not worked enough to bind. Baking the potatoes instead of boiling them removes more moisture, and letting the riced potato cool before mixing prevents the egg from cooking unevenly in the dough.
Can the tomato basil sauce be made ahead?
Yes, the sauce can be made up to 4 days ahead and stored in the fridge, or frozen for up to 3 months. Reheat it gently and add a few fresh basil leaves at the end to bring back brightness that fades during storage.
