Gnocchi Alla Sorrentina

Boil the potatoes in their skins in plenty of salted water until tender. Although this takes about an hour the flavour is far superior than boiling chopped potatoes and they are less watery. Peel them while they are still hot: hold on a fork in one hand and peel the skin away with a sharp knife. Pass the potatoes through a passatutto (food mill) or ricer onto a wooden board.

Add the seasoning and the flour, then the egg, and knead together to form a soft, pliable dough. Bring a large pan of well-salted water to the boil.

Lightly flour your work surface. Roll an apple-sized piece of dough into a 2cm-thick length. Cut into 2cm-long pieces with a cook’s knife, flicking the gnocchi to one side as you cut them. Repeat until all the dough is used.

For the sauce, heat half the oil in a frying pan and fry the onion and garlic slowly over a medium to low heat for 7-10 minutes, until soft. Add the canned tomatoes, then wash out the can with a few tablespoons of water and add this to the sauce. Add the basil, sugar, salt and black pepper, and continue to cook over a medium heat for about 15 minutes. Use a potato masher or fork to break up the tomatoes. Next add the cherry tomatoes. Cook the sauce for a further 15 minutes, then taste and adjust the salt and sugar if necessary. Stir in the remaining olive oil and your sauce is ready to mix in with your chosen pasta.

Cook the gnocchi in two batches. Drop them into the boiling water and cook for about 2 minutes. They will float to the surface when cooked. Lift them out gently, using a slotted spoon, and toss them into the tomato sauce. Serve with the mozzarella torn into pieces and the basil leaves.