Italian Food

Potato Gnocchi With Tomato Basil Sauce

May 7, 2020 by Marisa 42 Comments

In this dish, Potato Gnocchi with Tomato Basil Sauce, the humble potato is transformed into a melt-in-your mouth delicacy. Just about any sauce will compliment potato gnocchi.

What are Gnocchi?

Gnocchi are simply the Italian version of potato dumplings and can be prepared in limitless ways.

Today, there is such an extensive variety of gnocchi! Some are made with ricotta or squash while others are flavoured with beets.

There are also gnocchi where different flours are utilized, such as chestnut, buckwheat and also wholewheat flour.

Another version is made with semolina flour, milk, cheese and known as Gnocchi alla Romana.

These Potato Gnocchi with Tomato Basil Sauce, however, is the type of dish I grew up with.

They were my number one request each time mamma would ask me what I wanted to eat for my birthday celebration. She never failed to remind me of the countless times I would help her twirl the gnocchi with my chubby little fingers!

How To Make Potato Gnocchi From Scratch

Start with a starchy potato such as the russet potato and you can either boil them or bake them in the oven.

Just make sure not to pierce or cut through the potato when boiling them, otherwise they will absorb too much water.

You can easily mash the potatoes with a fork but a potato ricer really does an excellent job of mashing the potatoes and it’s a good investment for one who often makes gnocchi.

Mix the mashed potatoes with the beaten egg, salt and work in some flour with your hands.

Knead the dough for a few minutes while working in a little more flour if sticking too much on your hands and work surface. It should be soft and pliable.

How To Shape Gnocchi

Working with one piece of dough at a time, roll the gnocchi dough into a 1/2 rope then cut into 1 inch pieces.

To shape the gnocchi, you can use a handy wooden gnocchi board but if you don’t have one, no worries!

I was taught to twirl the gnocchi using my index finger and middle finger by pressing both down into the gnocchi and rolling quickly towards me.

Alternately you can use the back of a fork to make the pretty indentations. The little ridges that form are a perfect entrapment for all that delicious sauce.

Tips for Making Potato Gnocchi From Scratch

Always start with less amount of flour than the recipe calls for. The moisture of your potatoes and the amount of eggs used will determine how much flour is needed.

Do not knead more than a few minutes as this would result in too much flour adsorption which yields heavier gnocchi.

It goes without saying to always use a big sauce pot when cooking any form of pasta. Drop a few at a time into the boiling water to avoid the gnocchi from sticking together.

Ideally you will want to make and cook the gnocchi within a few hours. Simply transfer the gnocchi in a single layer on a lightly dusted cookie sheet and cover with a clean dish towel till ready to use.

Gnocchi can also be frozen. Transfer them on a cookie sheet in a single layer and place the tray in the freezer. Once frozen, transfer them into a freezer bag.

These exquisite potato gnocchi are very filling and therefore often served in moderate portions as a first course meal.

You’ll want to savour every bite! Enjoy the melt-in-your mouth sensation and never rush a good thing.

Above all, have fun and enjoy the process. After all practice makes perfect!

This recipe was originally published Sept. 14 2016 and updated May 7, 2020 with new photos and content.

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2 from 1 vote

Potato Gnocchi With Tomato Basil Sauce

In this dish, Potato Gnocchi with Tomato Basil Sauce, the humble potato is transformed into a melt-in-your mouth delicacy sure to dazzle family and friends.

Course: Main Meal

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Potato Gnocchi with Tomato Basil Sauce

Servings:

Author: Marisa

Ingredients

Gnocchi Dough

4 large russet potatoes about 2 pounds
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon beaten egg
2 cups all purpose flour approximately

Tomato Basil Sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves of garlic minced
pinch of crushed chili pepper
24 ounce jar Passata Italian strained tomatoes I used San Marzano
2 sprigs of basil
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup diced mozzarella
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

How To make Gnocchi

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Wash the potatoes under cold running water and pat dry.
Use a large knife and make a deep incision length-wise into each potato.
Place the potatoes on a cookie sheet and bake until they are tender, for about 1 hour.
Let potatoes cool a little but do peel them while they are still a bit warm.
Put them through a potato ricer. Alternately you can use a potato masher or a fork.
Place the mashed potatoes in a large bowl.
Add in the salt, 1 tablespoon of beaten egg and 1 and 1/2 cups of flour.
Using your hands, mix well just until the flour and potatoes stick together forming a rough looking dough.
Transfer the dough to a wooden board or work surface.
Knead the dough lightly, gradually adding a little bit of the remaining flour if the dough is sticking too heavily on your work surface. (I did not need all of the remaining 1/2 cup more of flour)
Knead for 2 to 3 minutes.
The dough should be smooth, pliable and just a little bit sticky.
Cut off a section of dough at a time.
Roll the piece of dough with a back and forth motion until you get the thickness of your index finger.
Cut the roll into 1 inch pieces.
Repeat with the remaining dough.
To shape the gnocchi, I used my little wooden gnocchi board with ridges.
Alternately, you can use the back of a fork .
Hold the fork at 45 degree angle, with the tines down on the work surface with its' inside curve towards you.
Take a gnocchi role and press it with your index finger against the tip end of the fork while quickly sliding it up along the length of the fork tins.
Or simply use your index and middle fingers by pressing both fingers down into the gnocchi and rolling quickly towards you. The gnocchi will flip over and have a pretty indentation.
Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough.
Transfer the gnocchi on a lightly floured cookie sheet and cover with a clean dish towel.
Set aside while you prepare the sauce.

Tomato Basil Sauce

Heat the oil in a medium sauce pot over medium low heat and sauté the garlic with the crushed chilli pepper just until fragrant, taking care not to burn the garlic. (should take less then a minute).
Add in the passata (Italian strained tomatoes), basil, salt and pepper and stir well.
Fill the bottle of passata three quarters full with water. Give it a good swirl and add this to the sauce.
Bring the sauce to a boil then lower the heat, cover and simmer for about 45 minutes or until the sauce thickens and the sweet concentrated flavors of the tomatoes come through.
While the sauce simmers, fill a large sauce pot with water and bring to a rapid boil.
Add salt to the boiling water and then the gnocchi.
Once the gnocchi come to surface they are pretty much ready. Leave them floating for about 10 seconds. (If they stay in the water too long, they will become mushy).
Remove the gnocchi with a slotted spoon and place them on a serving platter.
Pour a little of the sauce over the gnocchi, stir to combine then mix in the diced mozzarella.
The heat of the tomato sauce will slowly melt the mozzarella.
Divide the gnocchi onto four plates. Top with more sauce and Parmesan cheese.
Serve while still hot.

Pizza with sausage and sweet peppers

March 9, 2019 by Marisa 6 Comments

A thick crust Pizza with Sausage and Sweet Peppers is my all time favourite kind of pizza. It’s topped with an easy to make homemade tomato sauce! Mildly spicy Italian sausages are scattered over the mozzarella layers. And, then topped with pan roasted sweet red bell peppers. It bakes up beautifully with a crispy outer layer. Delicioso!

This Pizza with Sausage and Sweet Peppers post was originally published February 9, 2015. It’s been updated with new photos and content and republished March 9, 2019.

Pizza has got to be one of the most popular dishes to come out of Italy. There are endless possibilities!

From thin crust to thick crust and with a large variety of cheeses to choose from as well as sauces and toppings. It’s so much fun to make and in less time than you might think.

This pizza with sausage and sweet peppers is a family favourite. The combination of mildly spicy sausage and pan roasted sweet red bell peppers is a delicious combination. The dough bakes up just beautifully! It’s soft and airy on the inside with a crunchy, crispy outer layer.

As with most traditional Italian mammas, mine would make pizza once a week for us. There was no ordering in or take out in our family! It simply was not done!

She would say “che vergogna”! What a disgrace! So now, I too make my own pizza once a week. Like… religiously!

If you have never made pizza before do give it a try. There is something so comforting from creating dough from scratch!

With just a few simple ingredients listed below, you literally have fresh homemade pizza dough in under 20 minutes.

Ingredients for Homemade Pizza Dough

warm water
extra virgin olive oil
all purpose flour
salt
instant yeast
eggs

It’s a wonderful egg based dough!

You’ll need to let it rise in a draft free place.

On a sunny day I place my bowl of pizza dough on my dinning table where the sun comes shining through. It rises beautifully and works every time ! On a not so sunny day I let my dough rise on my kitchen counter right under one of the spotlights from underneath the kitchen cabinets. This works like a charm!

Ingredients For Pizza Toppings

Italian sausages
extra virgin olive oil
onions
red bell peppers
mozzarella

I first brown my my meat in a skillet with a little oil, just to get them a little caramelized on the edges. Them I simply transfer the browned meat to a plate so that I can use the same skillet to pan roast the veggies. Why dirty another skillet…right?

The pan roasted sweet bell peppers and onions are hands down my favourite pizza toppings.

You can, however, simply slice the bell peppers and layer them over the pizza.

In this case I would then brown the sausage with the sliced onions in the same pan.

Either way it’s sure to be delicious!

Ingredients For Homemade Pizza Sauce

ground tomatoes (preferably San Marzano)
garlic cloves
fresh or dried herbs (oregano, basil and parsley)
salt and black pepper

The ingredients are pretty straight forward and which you probably already have on hand.

I love the San Marzano tomatoes as these are quite flavourful and sweeter then other varieties. They also have a low acidity level and really don’t have that many seeds in them.

You can use either fresh or dried herbs. Whichever is at your most convenient is quite fine.

The sauce yields approximately 3 1/2 cups. However you will only need 1 1/4 cup to top the 2 large pizzas. You can freeze the rest for future use for up to 6 months. But I’m quite confident you won’t be waiting that long to make pizza again!

So here you have my traditional Pizza with Sausage and Sweet Peppers. It’s pure comfort food at my house and we so look forward to this treat every single week!

If you make this recipe remember to tag @marisasitaliankitchen on Instagram so I can see your creation!

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Pizza with Sausage and Sweet Peppers

Pizza with Sausage and Sweet Peppers and a homemade tomato sauce. This thick crust pizza is topped with Italian sausages and pan roasted red bell peppers.

Prep Time1 hr

Cook Time25 mins

Resting Time1 hr 30 mins

Total Time1 hr 28 mins

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: homemade pizza sauce, italian sausage, pizza, sweet peppers

Servings: 16 inch pizzas

Author: Marisa

Ingredients

PIZZA DOUGH

2 cups warm water
4 tbs olive oil
4 to 5 cups of all purpose flour
1 tsp salt I use fine sea salt
1 packet "quick rise" instant yeast I use Fleischmann's 8 grams
2 large eggs

PIZZA SAUCE

1 28 ounes ground tomatoes preferably San Marzano
5 cloves of garlic minced
2 tsp each of dried oregano, basil and parsley if using fresh, increase to 1 tbs each
salt and pepper to your taste

PIZZA TOPPING

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
3 links of mild Italian sausage about 1 pound
2 medium onions sliced thinly
4 large red bell peppers cut to 1 inch pieces
4 cups grated or shredded mozzarella cheese or as much cheese as you like

Instructions

PIZZA DOUGH

In a medium size bowl, stir together 3 cups of the flour, salt and the yeast.
Heat 2 cups of water with 4 tbs of olive oil in the microwave for 60 to 90 seconds. Take note that if your water is not warm enough the yeast will not activate. If it's too hot it will kill the yeast.
Stir the warm liquids in the flour mixture with a wooden spoon.
Add in the 2 eggs and stir till very well combined.
Stir in another cup of flour.
Transfer the dough onto a well floured work surface and knead for about 5 minutes working in the last cup of flour a bit at a time just until the dough is soft and smooth. You may not even need the whole last cup of flour.
Grease a large bowl with some olive oil and place your pizza dough in the greased bowl turning the dough to grease all over.
Cover with cling wrap and let it rise till it doubles in size, for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
While the dough is rising prepare the pizza sauce and toppings.

PIZZA SAUCE

Combine all the ingredients for the pizza sauce in a medium sized bowl and stir until well combined then set aside.
You will only need half of the prepared pizza sauce divided among the two pizzas. Freeze and store the remaining half for the next use.

PIZZA TOPPING

Heat the olive oil in a fry pan and brown the sausage while breaking up the sausage with a wooden spoon for about 10 minutes.
Transfer the sausage to a large plate and set aside.
Using the same frying pan, add in the cut sweet bell peppers and onions.
Pan roast the veggies on medium high heat for about 7 minutes with a dash of salt and pepper, adding a little olive oil only if needed.
Set aside to cool.
When the dough has risen and doubled in size, transfer it onto a well floured counter and cut it in half.
Working with one half at a time, roll the dough out on a floured work surface using a floured rolling pin and roll to fit your pan.
Transfer the rolled pizza dough to your baking pan and repeat with the second half of the pizza dough.
Note that I use two 16" round perforated pans and I roll it out with a well floured rolling pin and on a floured counter.
If the dough seems to resist rolling just let it rest for a minute then continue rolling it out.
A perforated pizza pan does not need to be oiled. If you do not have a round perforated pizza pan you can use a cookie sheet which has been lightly greased.
Spread the reserved pizza sauce over the the pizza dough using the back of a spoon.
Sprinkle the 2 pizzas evenly with the grated mozzarella.
Top with the sautéed sausages and pan roasted veggies.
Bake in a preheated oven @ 425 degrees F, for about 25 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese has melted.

Spaghetti With Sun Dried Tomatoes

February 16, 2018 by Marisa 54 Comments

A simple yet delicious dish, Spaghetti with Sun Dried Tomatoes comes together in under 30 minutes making it an ideal meal that’s perfect for busy week nights but also elegant enough for those special occasions.

I always start any pasta dish with a base of some good quality extra-virgin olive oil! To this spaghetti sauce I added some minced garlic, dried chili peppers, chopped sun dried tomatoes and tossed in the cooked pasta. All that’s left to do is a generous sprinkle of Parmesan love and garnish with parsley.

You’ll find it super easy to put together and packs a load of flavor!

Its so simple and yet so elegant that you can present it like a gourmet meal!

I turn to this recipe over and over again to satisfy a quick carbohydrate fix and with just a couple of pantry items it can be transformed into a last minute supper that you can prepare in less time than it takes to cook the spaghetti.

Paired with a salad, you’ll have a complete meal in just under 30 minutes making it ideal for those hectic weeknights when your juggling chores and the kids homework.

Sun dried tomatoes are one of my all time favorite pantry condiment because of their sweet concentrated flavors and I always keep a jar around to enjoy all year round.

Top them over crostini, focaccia or just layering them in your panini. There are endless possibilities! 🙂

Of course it goes without saying and I probably am starting to sound like a broken record but with so few ingredients in this pasta dish, a good quality extra-virgin olive oil is always essential!

Go ahead and make some Spaghetti with Sun Dried Tomatoes tonight, I’m sure you’ll love it!

Buon Appetito !

If you make this recipe remember to tag @marisasitaliankitchen on Instagram so I can see your creation!

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Spaghetti With Sun Dried Tomatoes

A simple yet delicious dish, Spaghetti with Sun Dried Tomatoes comes together in under 30 minutes making it an ideal meal that is perfect for busy week nights but also elegant enough for special occasions.

Course: supper

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: -6

Author: Marisa

Ingredients

Ingredients:
454 grams of spaghetti
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves minced garlic
1/4 tsp chili flakes
salt and pepper to your taste
1 and 1/2 cups oil packed sun-dried tomatoes drained and chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Fill a large sauce pan with cold water, bring to a boil and then add in the salt and spaghetti.
Cook the spaghetti according to the package instructions or until al dente.
A few minutes before the spaghetti is ready, add the oil in a large pan and heat on low.
Add the minced garlic, the chili flakes, salt and pepper to your taste and cook on low heat for about 3 minutes while stirring frequently taking care not to burn the garlic.
Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes just until heated through and then remove from the heat.
Drain the pasta and add it to the pan with the sun-dried tomatoes.
Toss the pasta to coat all over with the sauce.
Add the parsley and then transfer to a serving platter.
Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and serve while still warm.

Cacio e Pepe Spaghetti

September 1, 2017 by Marisa 18 Comments

Cacio e Pepe Spaghetti is a typical Roman style dish and literally translates to cheese and pepper.

It is Italy’s equivalence to our mac and cheese without the addition of cream. A rather humble dish with a small supporting cast and which Romans have been making for quite some time. This dish dates way back to the Roman Empire.

Much as the name implies, this dish consists of very few ingredients. Cheese…as in lots of cheese, pepper and of course spaghetti.

Although not overly complicated to prepare, the cheese sauce does require some practice so as it doesn’t coagulate into soft clumpy strands. Mind you, even if it does it is still quite yummy!

How to make perfect Cacio e Pepe Spaghetti

In order to achieve a creamy smooth consistency and have each strand of pasta delicately coated with cheesy goodness, work with good quality room temperature cheese and not one straight from the freezer or fridge.

You’ll also want to have both cheeses finely grated in a heat proof bowl.

Then, simply toss together with some freshly cracked black pepper. Have this ready and waiting for its first ladle of slightly cooled starchy pasta water.

You’ll have a delicate and creamy sauce ready to be tossed with spaghetti in no time at all.

I served up this spaghetti dish with oven roasted cherry tomatoes and some crusty bread with a crispy side salad. It’s absolutely delicious!

Also, it makes a quick and easy just about anytime meal that is ready in under 30 minutes!

Buon Appetito!

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Cacio e Pepe Spaghetti

A quick and easy yet flavorful pasta dish utilizing a few good quality ingredients. Italy's version of an ever popular mac and cheese.

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time10 mins

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Cacio e Pepe Spaghetti

Servings:

Author: Marisa

Ingredients

1 cup grated Grana Padano cheese
3/4 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
freshly cracked black pepper to your taste
454 grams Spaghetti

Instructions

Bring a large pot of water to boil.
Salt the boiling water and add in the spaghetti. (use less salt then you would normally because we are adding the pasta water to the cheeses which are salty on their own)
Cook while stirring occasionally so that the spaghetti does not stick together and remove 2 minutes before the suggested cooking time.
Reserve 2 cups of pasta water and set aside to cool slightly. (You'll probable not need all 2 cups)
Meanwhile heat up a large skillet over medium heat and toast a generous amount of freshly cracked coarse black pepper for about 30 seconds, stirring often.
Add in a ladle of pasta water and let this simmer to infuse the pasta water with the freshly ground pepper for another 30 seconds then remove the pan from the heat.
Toss in the drained spaghetti.
Place both cheeses in a medium sized bowl and whisk in a ladle of reserved and slightly cooled pasta water to form a sauce.
Quickly pour the cheese mixture over the spaghetti while stirring vigorously and add in an additional ladle of pasta water.
Stir well and if the spaghetti seem a little dry, add more pasta water, continuing to stir just until the cheeses have melted and a creamy sauce is obtained while generously coating the pasta.
Plate and serve with additional cracked black pepper, grated cheese and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil if desired.

Check out these other quick and easy spaghetti dishes for busy weeknights.

Quinoa Gnocchi Alla Romana

May 23, 2017 by Marisa 26 Comments

Quinoa Gnocchi alla Romana is a Roman style dish with a little twist and a truly satisfying ultimate comfort food. One of those easy to prepare meals with few ingredients that requires minimum fuss and packs lots of flavor. Served as either an entreé or a first course meal, it is sure to impress.

These roman style gnocchi are made with semolina, a durum wheat flour and very much different from the more popular potato gnocchi but equally delicious.

Simmered in milk till a porridge like consistency and flavored with a few simple ingredients such as butter and Parmesan cheese with an egg yolk for some added richness and of course…that little twist I mentioned being quinoa!

Quinoa, better known as the mother of all grains and a nutritional powerhouse has a chewy texture once cooked and is nutty in taste. There is much to love about this protein packed super food!

These cutesy little grains of white, red and black hues add a visual appeal and elevates this rather simple dish and I could not resist adding them to one of my favorite dishes.

The cooked quinoa is stirred into the semolina mixture along with the butter, cheese, egg yolk and then spread out to a half inch thick layer.

Although I used a 2 inch cookie cutter to shape the disks, alternately a drinking glass would also work. Or simply get creative with any shape you prefer.

You can really go to town here using lots of cheese and if I may say so, the more… the better it is!

A bit of time under the broiler and these delicious gnocchi develop crispy golden brown edges with pillowy soft centers.

Serve with a light drizzle of your finest extra virgin olive oil and garnished with some parsley sprigs for extra love.

Simple, satisfying and so delicious!!

Buon appetito!

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Quinoa Gnocchi Alla Romana

Quinoa Gnocchi alla Romana is a Roman style dish with a little twist and a truly satisfying ultimate comfort food.

Course: Vegetarian

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: -6

Author: Marisa

Ingredients

1/4 cup quinoa I used a tri-color mix of white, red and black
3 cups whole milk
1 cup semolina flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons plus 2 melted tablespoon for topping
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese plus 1/4 cup for topping
1 egg yolk beaten

Instructions

Grease a baking sheet and set aside.
Rinse the quinoa with cold water.
Place the quinoa in a small pot filled with 2/3 cup of water and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat and let simmer uncovered until all the water is absorbed and set aside til ready to use.
Whisk together the milk, semolina flour and the salt in a sauce pan over medium-high heat until the mixture thickens and bubbles over for about 6 to 8 minutes while stirring constantly.
Remove the mixture from the heat and stir in the cooked quinoa, 2 tablespoons of butter, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese and the beaten egg yolk.
Transfer the gnocchi mixture to your prepared baking sheet, spreading it out to about a 1/2 inch thick layer.
Chill uncovered for 1 hour or until very firm.
Butter a 10 inch round or oval shaped baking dish.
Using a 2 inch round cookie cutter or the top of a drinking glass, cut out round shaped circles from the firm gnocchi mixture.
Arrange the slices in the baking dish while slightly overlapping them.
Brush the 2 tablespoons of melted butter over the gnocchi and sprinkle with a 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese.
Place the prepared gnocchi dish in the oven, on the middle rack and broil for about 8 minutes just until they have heated through and have a golden brown crust.