Gnocchi alla Sorrentina

📝 Ingredients

• 1 kg potato gnocchi (2 × 500 g packs)
• 2 tins chopped tomatoes (2 × 400 g)
• 1 brown onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 30 g fresh basil
• 2 balls mozzarella (2 × 125 g drained)
• 40 g Parmesan
• 125 g rocket
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• Salt, black pepper

🍴 Utensils

• Large sauté pan
• Large saucepan
• Slotted spoon
• Large gratin dish
• Grater
• Mixing bowl

📖 Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 200 °C. Finely slice the onion and chop the garlic. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large sauté pan over a medium heat and cook the onion for 5 minutes, until soft and translucent.
2. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds, then pour in the chopped tomatoes, the sugar (it balances the acidity), a pinch of salt and some pepper. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes over a low heat, until the sauce thickens.
3. Meanwhile, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Drop in the gnocchi and lift them out with the slotted spoon as soon as they float to the surface, after 1 to 2 minutes: they'll finish cooking in the oven.
4. Cut the mozzarella into small cubes and leave to drain on kitchen paper: if too wet, it would make the bake watery. Grate the Parmesan and finely shred half the basil.
5. Off the heat, add the shredded basil to the sauce, then the drained gnocchi and half the mozzarella. Gently mix with a spoon to coat all the gnocchi without crushing them.
6. Tip everything into a large baking dish and scatter the rest of the mozzarella and the Parmesan over the top. Bake for 15 minutes, until the cheese is melted, stringy and golden in places. Finish for 2 minutes under the grill if needed.
7. While it bakes, mix the rest of the olive oil, the balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper in the bottom of a salad bowl. Put the rocket on top without mixing: it only gets tossed at serving time, so it stays crisp.
8. Leave the bake to rest for 3 minutes once out of the oven, as the cheese is scalding. Meanwhile, toss the salad. Scatter the remaining basil leaves over the bake and serve immediately with the rocket.