AUTHENTIC  ITALIAN  RECIPES

 FROM

 RISTORANTE  d'ANNAMARIA

Gnocchi alla caprese:

This isn't a new way to prepare gnocchi.This is a different sauce to put over gnocchi. Use plain gnocchi or potato gnocchi as you prefer. Its a cross between fresh sauce and ragu which just goes to demonstrate how native born Italians cook here. Anything goes: the only limits are your own imagination. This recipe is probably sufficient for six portions. The proportions are correct so if you want more sauce and double up the quantity of tomatoes, be sure to double everything else. Yes, I know, that is just obvious, but I'm writing these translations with the absolute most inexperienced cooks in mind as well. Buon appetito!!!

Ingredients for 6 persons:

Extra virgin olive oil                                  as needed

Italian canned plum tomatoes (pelati)         35 ounces

Fresh onion (finely chopped)                      ½ medium

Ground beef                                              6 ounces

Mozzarella (cut into small cubes or grated)10 ounces

Parmesan (grated)                                     as needed (your call)

Fresh basil (equivalent in dried basil)         3 - 4 leaves

Gnocchi                                                    3 pounds

How To Do It:

In a medium sauce pan, sauté the onion and ground beef until the onion is golden and tender and the ground beef is well browned (Unfortunately many meat packers add water to their meats - Make sure all the excess water is cooked out of your ground beef if necessary).

Add the tomatoes and basil. (To simplify the process, I chop the whole tomatoes a little with a sharp knife as I'm pouring them out of the can(s).)

Cook your sauce over a medium low flame for 30 minutes.

Cook your gnocchi in a very large pot of rapidly boiling water until they start to float then cook them for one more minute.

Gently drain them. The best method is to use some sort of slotted spoon and just scoop them out of the water.

Grease the bottom of an oven casserole dish large enough to hold the gnocchi with butter.

Now layer the gnocchi, mozzarella and sauce just like lasagna. First a layer of gnocchi, then a layer of mozzarella the sprinkle with some sauce. Repeat this procedure until all the ingredients are finished.

Finally, cover the top with sauce and a generous sprinkling of parmesan.

Bake in a 375º oven for 15 minutes.

Let cool five minutes then enjoy.