Gnocchi with Cherry Tomato Sauce
- Difficulty: Easy
- Prep time: 40 min
- Cook time: 3 h 40 min
- Serving: 4
- Cost: Low
- Note ?","seo_title":"Gnocchi with Roasted Cherry Tomato Sauce
PRESENTATION
Gnocchi with cherry tomato sauce is one of those dishes that just sticks with you. I mean, it's like an Italian classic with a twist you didn't see coming. Chef Cesare Battisti really adds some flair to this gnocchi recipe. So, he slow-roasts these sweet cherry tomatoes until they're jammy and rich. And look, those tomatoes? They get all mixed up with these tender potato dumplings. Everyone loves that comforting Italian vibe. Really, really good.
The real standout here is the burnt lemon. It is got that tangy aroma that perks up your taste buds. For sure. This dish feels like a bite of Milan or Rome. But it’s still unique—sticking to the roots of homemade gnocchi. Honestly, there’s a perfect balance between the moist dumplings and the crispy edges of the roasted tomatoes. Then you get the lemon. It's surprising, in a good way, with every forkful.
In Italy, gnocchi comes with all kinds of twists—walnut cream, shrimp with stracciatella, or even seafood sauces. But this cherry tomato sauce? It shows how simple things can be amazing. Really, it’s the golden finish from roasting those tomatoes that adds such depth. Like, perfectly complementing that pillowy texture of well-made gnocchi.
Chef Battisti’s take respects all the traditional elements, you know? Yet he’s not scared to add a playful touch like the burnt lemon—pretty much a rare find. Plus, it’s not just an easy gnocchi recipe for a quick dinner; it’s like getting a taste of Italy with a creative twist. It keeps things fresh while staying true to that homemade, tender vibe.
Ultimately, you end up with a meal that's familiar yet new. It’s that magic that makes Italian food special. No question. And you get a dish that blends comfort with innovation. So, here's the thing: even the most time-honored recipes can be reinvented while staying true to their roots. Seriously good.
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INGREDIENTS
- For the gnocchi
- Potatoes 2.25 lbs (1 kg)
- Type 00 flour 2 ½ cups (300 g)
- Fine salt 2 tsp (10 g)
- For the cherry tomato sauce
- Cherry tomatoes 5.4 cups (800 g)
- Extra virgin olive oil to taste
- Fine salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- Garlic 4 cloves
- For plating
- Pecorino Romano PDO cheese 1.4 oz (40 g)
- Lemon peel to taste
- Basil to taste
How to prepare Gnocchi with Cherry Tomato Sauce
To prepare the gnocchi with roasted cherry tomato sauce, start with the cherry tomatoes. Wash them, pat them dry and cut them in half 1. Arrange them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper with the cut side facing up 2, then season with a pinch of salt 3.
Add a grating of black pepper 4, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil 5 and the whole garlic cloves 6. Roast them in a conventional oven at 348F for about 3 hours, until they are well wilted and concentrated.
Meanwhile, take care of the gnocchi. Rinse the potatoes under running water and boil them starting from cold water 7. It will take about 30-40 minutes depending on size. When they are soft, drain them 8. Put the flour on a work surface and create the classic well by pressing the flour with the bottom of a bowl or moving it with your hands.
Press the hot potatoes directly onto the flour; there will be no need to peel them 10. Add the salt 11 and knead quickly with your hands 12.
You should obtain a homogeneous dough 13, taking care not to work it too much to avoid tough gnocchi. Divide the dough into portions 14 and shape into rolls about 3/4 inch (2 cm) thick 15.
Then cut the gnocchi into pieces 16. Roll each gnocco over the tines of a fork 17 or over a gnocchi board (rigagnocchi) to obtain the classic ridging and place them on a floured tray as you go 18.
As soon as the cherry tomatoes are ready, remove them from the oven, discard the garlic and let them cool slightly 19. At this point pass them through a food mill 20 until you get a sauce 21.
Transfer it to a small saucepan and warm the sauce 22. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the gnocchi 23: they are ready when they float to the surface, which will take just a few minutes. Drain the gnocchi and transfer them directly to the pan with the sauce 34.
Add a drizzle of oil 25 and gently sauté to combine everything 26. Plate the gnocchi 27.
Finish with grated pecorino 28, basil leaves 29 and grated lemon zest 30. As an alternative to lemon zest, use a dusting of charred lemon powder, which will give the dish an intense and original aromatic note. Serve your gnocchi piping hot!