We had a similar dish at a restaurant in Appleton, WI and this is our successful attempt at a copycat one. It is certainly divine and company worthy!
To make this gnocchi, choose potatoes that are roughly the same size so they cook evenly. They can also be boiled but don’t overcook or they will become to watery.
Ingredients for the Gnocchi:
- 4 large russet potatoes, scrubbed clean
- 2 1/2 C all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
- 2 large eggs
- 2 t kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 4 T butter
- 1/2 freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
- 1/4 C freshly grated Pecorino
Ingredients for the sauce:
- 1 can San Marzano tomatoes, crushed with your hands, or chopped
- 1 med onion, 2/3 coarsley chopped, 1/3 finely cubed
- 2 garlic cloves, smashes
- 2 celery stalks, coursely chopped
- 2 carrots, coursely chopped, plus one carrot finely cubed
- red pepper flakes, to taste (we use about 1/2 T)
- basil for garnish, chiffonade
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400°. Poke potatoes all over with a fork and place directly on oven racks. Bake until easily pierced with a knife, about 1 hour. Let cool slightly. When potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut in half and scoop out insides. Discard skins. Run potatoes through a ricer or mash well with a fork.
Meanwhile, add sauce ingredients to a medium stock pan and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer about 30 minutes. Strain out chunks of veggies then return to pot. Season as needed and continue cooking to reduce. Push through a fine sieve again. Set aside.
While potatoes are cooking and sauce is heating, finely cube the remaining carrot and 1/3 onion. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine riced potatoes, flour, eggs, salt, and a little pepper until a dough forms. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, about 3 minutes.
Divide dough into 4 pieces. Using your hands, roll each piece into a long rope, about ¾” in diameter. Cut ropes into 1” pieces. Place pieces on a lightly floured baking sheet. If dough is too soft to work with this at this point, place in freezer for 10 minutes to chill.
If you don’t have a gnocchi roller, use the back side of a fork and roll each piece along the tines to create ridges and place back on baking sheet.
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook gnocchi until it floats to the top, about 2 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Using a slotted spoon, add cooked gnocchi into melted butter. Season with several cranks of black pepper. Add Parmesan and Pecorino and toss until melted and pepper is fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Put diced veggies around the edge of a large pasta bowl. Mound the center with the gnocchis. Top with warm sauce, more Parmesan and basil.
