We have reached the bitterly cold time of the year where comfort foods of all types reign supreme. Once of the most comforting of foods to me is homemade gnocchi. Many countries have their own version of the potato dumpling, but the Italian version simply made with potatoes, flour and egg are pillowy, tender and fluffy all at the same time. The ridges on the gnocchi are the perfect match for a homemade marinara sauce– the ridges help adhere the sauce to each and every bite. I wanted to create a simple but flavorful tomato sauce for this recipe; a sauce made of onion, garlic, tomato puree, diced tomatoes and a splash of red wine. Tossed with cooked Italian sausage and roasted fennel, the components combine to make a winning combination of flavors. Roasting the fennel slices before adding them into the sauce helps to bring out the fennel’s natural sweetness. The combination of the fennel seeds in the Italian sausage with the fresh, roasted fennel is a flavor profile all its own. Whether you have the time to make your own gnocchi or you buy your favorite store-bought variety, this dish will transport you to the Italian kitchen of your dreams.
The ball of gnocchi dough
Handmade gnocchi
(To view this recipe, click on the blue title of the blog post above*)
Gnocchi with Tomatoes, Sausage & Fennel
Ingredients:
- For the roasted fennel:
- 1 large fennel bulb, stems trimmed and bulb cut into thinly sliced half moons
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Pinch of black pepper
- For the sauce:
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 8 oz. Italian sausage
- ¼ cup dry red wine
- 1 cup tomato puree
- 1 (14.5-oz.) can diced tomatoes, drained
- Pinch of salt and pepper
- Fresh oregano and shaved parmesan cheese, for garnish
- GNOCCHI (Recipe Courtesy of Mami Camilla Cooking School, Sorrento, Italy)—or feel free to buy 1 lb. of your favorite store bought variety**
- 1 kilo potatoes (yellow flesh; Yukon Gold)
- 500 grams all-purpose flour, plus extra
- 1 egg
Directions:
- GNOCCHI (Recipe Courtesy of Mami Camilla Cooking School, Sorrento Italy)
- Cook whole potatoes with skin in boiling water over high heat until soft, about 20/30 minutes. Drain; set aside to cool. When cool enough to handle, remove skin from potatoes with fingers.
- Put potatoes through a ricer to create tiny pieces or mash. On a flat work surface create a flour well. Add egg and potatoes to center. Blend together with hands until ingredients are completely mixed and form compact dough. Knead for 3 minutes.
- On floured surface, cut dough into long strips. Using both hands, roll each piece into long rods about 5 centimeters in diameter. Cut into 1-centimeter cubes. Hold fork in right hand; press cubes against times just hard enough to make characteristic ridges; flip downward, off the fork to create elongated shell shape. On floured breadboard, position gnocchi so they don’t stick together.
- Fill large pot with cold water; add olive oil; set aside. Cook gnocchi in small batches in boiling salted water about 5 minutes or until they float to the top. Scoop out cooked gnocchi with large slotted spoon and place in cold water to stop cooking.
- For the sauce: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lay the sliced fennel in a single layer on the baking sheet; drizzle it with 1 Tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until the fennel is tender and slightly caramelized on the bottom.
- Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan heat the remaining oil over medium heat. Add in the garlic, red pepper, and onion and cook, stirring often for 5 minutes.
- Add in the sausage and continue to cook, breaking up the sausage, until the sausage is browned.
- Add in the roasted fennel, red wine, tomato sauce, and diced tomatoes to the pan. Season with salt and pepper; reduce the heat to low and cook the sauce, stirring occasionally for 30 minutes.
- To serve, toss the cooked gnocchi into the pan with the tomato sauce. Divide the gnocchi and sauce amongst your serving plates, and garnish with fresh oregano leaves and parmesan cheese before serving.
Tagged: diced tomatoes, fennel, gnocchi, Italian, Italian sausage, Italy, oregano, potato dumplings, pototoes, roasted fennel, tomato sauce
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