Gnocchi & Tomato Sauce

Homemade Gnocchi

adapted from Rouxbe.com recipe

Serves 4 - 6

4 medium potatoes, boiled and peeled

2 cups flour

4 egg yolks

1/2 teaspoon sea salt or 1/4 teaspoon table salt

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

Additional flour as needed

Begin by ricing your potatoes and spreading them evenly on your work surface.

Then sprinkle the potatoes with a generous amount of flour. Aerate them by cutting into them using a bench scraper, incorporating the flour. Sprinkle the nutmeg and white pepper over the top, and aerate again. Beat the egg yolks slightly and then pour over potatoes. Cover with more flour, then cut and lift again using the bench scraper, until eggs are incorporated. Pick up some dough in your hand. If it is sticky add more flour and continue process. Once it holds together slightly but isn't sticky, it is ready. Shape it into a rectangle, then fold it in half a few times.

Flatten it out to about the height of your finger, add a bit more flour, then let rest for 5 to 10 minutes.

Next cut the dough into strips and separate, sprinkling more flour on them. Roll strips into ropes about the size of your finger. Cut across strips forming pillows. Gnocchi can be left as pillows, or shaped by putting your thumb into the middle of the pillow and pushing down, then rolling the gnocchi piece toward you. That creates a little pocket which holds nicely onto sauce or cheese. You can do this on a gnocchi paddle for ridges, or get creative and use something around the kitchen with a nice texture.

Once cut and shaped, sprinkle yet a bit more flour, then cover with a towel until ready to cook.

They can also be frozen at this point; simply put onto a tray so they don't touch each other and freeze. Once frozen you can put them into a freezer bag to store for up to two months.

Basic Tomato Sauce

(and butter, inspired by smittenkitchen.com, orangette.blogspot.com, and many others!)

1/2 medium onion

4 large cloves garlic

4 cans diced tomatoes (28 oz or 880 grams)

5.5 oz or 156 grams tomato paste

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

salt to taste

Dice the onion and émincé (thinly slice) the garlic. Heat a heavy bottomed pot over medium low heat, then add the olive oil and pinch of salt. Sauté the onions until soft and barely golden. Add garlic and cook for about a minute, then stir the tomato paste and cook until the color deepens. Then add the tomatoes, and a bigger pinch of salt. Stir to combine, then cook for 30 to 45 minutes, stirring often. When done stir in butter and season to taste.