Gnocchi alla Sorrentina

I’ll never forget the first time I tasted Gnocchi alla Sorrentina. It was love at first bite and I couldn’t wait to get home and develop my own recipe for this traditional Italian dish.

 

The recipe for gnocchi alla Sorrentina is said to have originated in Southern Italy in Sorrento, a town near Naples and the Amalfi coast.

I can only imagine an Italian grandmother rolling those pillowy gnocchi by hand. Made with love like only a Nonna can. But if you don’t have a Nonna or the time to make them by hand, you can buy store-bought gnocchi instead.

Made with simple ingredients, this delicious tomato sauce is the perfect vehicle to

It’s the perfect dish for busy weeknights and could become your signature dish for entertaining friends and family.

If you love easy-to-make Italian sauces, make sure to try our Pasta Napoletana and our Classic Marinara sauce recipes.

Ingredients to make Gnocchi alla Sorrentina

Start by gathering the ingredients needed to make our Gnocchi alla Sorrentina recipe. In culinary terms, this is called the Mise en Place, which translates into “Everything in its Place.”

Setting up your ingredients not only helps speed up the cooking process but also helps ensure you have all of the ingredients on hand to make the recipe.

We used three different types of tomatoes, which add a more complex, rich flavor to the dish. But if you want to streamline the recipe, you can use canned cherry tomatoes or just tomato passata to make the recipe. You can also use your favorite brand of jarred sauce.

*You can use fresh tomatoes to make the dish, but it will take more time to prepare.

How to make Gnocchi alla Sorrentina

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

• Place a large skillet over medium heat. When the pan is hot, add olive oil and chopped garlic cloves. Cook until fragrant (about 1 minute).
• Add the passata, cherry tomatoes, and tomato puree to the pan and stir to combine.
• Add the table salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes to the sauce and stir to combine.
• Add the parmigiano-reggiano and chopped fresh basil to the sauce.
• Stir to combine and remove the pan from the heat. Set aside until needed.
• Place a large pot of salted water over high heat and bring the water to a rolling boil. Add the gnocchi to the water and cook per the package instructions.
  *The gnocchi will float when they are done.

*If you can’t find Parmigiano-Reggiano, you can use Locatelli or parmesan cheese instead.

*If you don’t have an oven-proof skillet, you can make the dish in a saute pan and transfer it to a baking dish to finish it in the oven. Or you can skip the oven and let it simmer on the stove top until it’s ready to serve.

• While the gnocchi is cooking, place the fresh mozzarella balls on a plate lined with a paper towel.
• Pat dry the mozzarella balls with a paper towel.
• Remove the gnocchi from the water with a slotted spoon and add them along with the fresh mozzarella cheese to the pan. Gently stir to combine.
• Place the pan on the top rack of the preheated oven and cook for 3-5 minutes until the sauce is bubbly.

Garnish the dish with fresh basil leaves and serve it with crusty Italian bread or garlic bread for dipping.

This simple dish is one of my favorite Italian recipes. The cheese melts into the flavorful tomato sauce, creating a symphony of flavors to surround the pillowy, soft gnocchi.

Store leftover Gnocchi alla Sorrentina refrigerated in an airtight container for 2-3 days. It can be stored in a freezer-safe container for up to two months.

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