Gnocchi alla Scamorza

Gnocchi are the easiest and quickest pasta you can make at home, you don’t need any special equipment or skills and it’s quite hard to mess them up. This being said, you can also buy already made Gnocchi to make this recipe if time doesn’t allow you to make them from scratch.

The original recipe “Gnocchi alla Sorrentina” is made exactly the same but instead of scamorza you would use fior di latte. I decided to use scamorza affumicata (smoked scamorza) because I’m addicated to it and could add it to any dish. Scamorza is a close relative of Mozzarella yet it’s firmer and if you buy the smoked version you will get this delicious smokey taste in your tomato sauce.

I really like to make these gnocchi when I have guests over as I can make the gnocchi beforehand and simply throw them in to cook when we are ready to eat. You can also pre-make the sauce (without the scamorza) and heat it up later when you intend to use it, adding the scamorza at that point as well.

Prep Time: 20 Minutes

Cooking Time: 40 Minutes

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Ingredients for the gnocchi (4 people):

  • Potatoes - 1kg

  • White Flour - 300 g

  • Egg - 1

  • Salt - max 15 gr

If you prefer your gnocchi to be eggless:

  • Potatoes - 1kg

  • White Flour - 350 g

  • Salt - max 15gr

Ingredients for Scamorza Sauce

  • Scamorza Affumicata (Smoked Scamorza) - 100 g

  • Cherry Tomatoes - 100 g

  • Passata di Pomodoro - 100 g

  • Garlic - 1 clove

  • Basil

  • Parmesan - if you want for serving

How to:

  1. To prepare the potato gnocchi start by boiling the potatoes: place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with plenty of cold water. From the moment the water is boiling, count about 30-40 minutes, depending on their size; do the fork test and if the fork easily enters the middle then you can drain them. Peel them while they are still hot and immediately mash them on the flour that you have poured on the pastry board.

  2. Then add the lightly beaten egg together with a pinch of salt and mix everything with your hands until you get a soft but compact dough. Remember that by working them too much, the gnocchi will become hard during cooking, so just knead the dough.

  3. Take apart of the dough and spread it with your fingertips to obtain small loaves, 2 cm thick; to do this, help yourself by flouring the pastry board, occasionally, with flour. In the meantime, cover the remaining dough with a tea towel to prevent it from drying out.

  4. Then cut the loaves into chunks and by pressing lightly with your thumb, drag them on the gnocchi row to obtain the classic shape. If you don't have the gnocchi row, you can use a fork and drag them on the prongs; also in this case, use the flour to avoid sticking. As you prepare the potato gnocchi, place them on a tray with a lightly floured cloth, well spaced from each other.

  5. Keep the gnocchi on the side and start making the sauce. Place some olive oil in a sauce pan, add the crushed garlic and cook for a minute, then add the passata and the cut cherry tomatoes. Leave to cook for 15 minutes.

  6. Now is the time to add the scamorza - cook for another 5 minutes in order for the scamorza to melt into the sauce.

  7. Now you can cook the gnocchi, pour them in boiling salted water; as soon as the gnocchi come to the surface they are considered cooked and therefore ready to be drained and seasoned (2 min).

  8. As soon as you have drained the gnocchi throw them into the sauce and mix them in.

  9. The gnocchi are ready :) Plate them and serve with some basil and grated parmesan.

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