Gnocchi alla Sorrentina
Whip up the authentic flavors of Sorrento with Gnocchi alla Sorrentina, and do it in just 45 minutes. This recipe combines the beloved flavors of tomatoes, mozzarella and basil with soft pillowy gnocchi to make a simple and mouthwatering dish.
- 1.2 lbs potato gnocchi
- 12 cherry tomatoes
- 14 oz tomato passata (I prefer rustica meaning chunky passata)
- 14 oz fresh mozzarella (preferably bufala (buffalo milk mozzarella))
- 3.5 oz parmigiano reggiano (or pecorino, grated)
- 2 cloves garlic (peeled)
- 6-8 leaves basil (chopped)
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ground black pepper (to taste)
- salt (to cook gnocchi & to taste)
- Preheat your oven to 355°F (180°C).
- Place cherry tomatoes and peeled garlic cloves on a baking tray. Drizzle with half of the olive oil and sprinkle some salt. Roast in the preheated oven until the tomatoes begin to shed their skin.
- In a sauté pan or iron skillet, heat a bit of olive oil. Add the roasted garlic cloves, tomatoes, and some chopped basil leaves, along with any juices from the oven dish. Sauté for a 2 to 3 minutes.
- Remove and discard the garlic cloves, then stir in the tomato passata. Season with salt and black pepper then let the sauce simmer for about 15 minutes.
- In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Once boiling, salt the water generously. Add the gnocchi and cook until they start to float to the surface, then remove them using a slotted spoon.
- Add the boiled gnocchi to the tomato sauce, mixing well to ensure they're well-coated. Transfer the sauce-covered gnocchi into a baking dish.
- Layer the top with mozzarella slices, and then sprinkle the grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano over the mozzarella.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese on top starts to become golden brown.
- Serve immediately, garnished with additional chopped or whole basil leaves.
History
Gnocchi alla sorrentina takes its name from the city (and peninsula) of Sorrento, where it originated. Sorrento is in the province of Naples, Campania. The area is also famous for its lemons, from which the best limoncello is made. But that’s another story!
In Campania, they traditionally use a terracotta oven dish, which in Neapolitan dialect is called a ‘pigniatiello’. If you don't have a terracotta dish, of course you can use a ceramic one (like I did) or a Pyrex dish.
However, it’s important to serve the baked gnocchi very warm, preferably in the same baking dish used for cooking.
Alternative recipes
In Italy, there are some alternative versions of this recipe, which include different cheeses such as scamorza or include onions or eggplant.
Some people also make gnocchi alla Sorrentina with ragu, instead of simple tomato sauce. This recipe is the simplest and I think the most delicious version.
I have also made this dish with semolina gnocchi. That was fabulous too. You can take a look at my recipe for gnocchi alla Romana if you’d like to try this.
You would make the semolina gnocchi as per alla Romana, but then cook them in the oven alla Sorrentina.
