Gluten free Gnocchi alla Sorrentina

I grew up in Sorrento, in the South of Italy, and as a child I have always loved gnocchi alla Sorrentina. My brother and I used to eat them at least once a week. When I discovered I was celiac I could not find that taste again, those on the market weren’t satisfying me at all. Last week I discovered a gluten free flour mix for fresh pasta by the Italian brand Alimenta 2000 and, as I love this brand, I decided to give it a try as I was sure this time I was going to make it!

Let’s start boiling the potatoes in a large pot with water and a good pinch of salt. Mine took about 30 minutes to cook.

In the meantime start making the tomato sauce.

Take a large frying pan, add 5 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, the sauce, one pinch of salt, some fresh basil. Cook over medium heat. When the water from the sauce evaporates completely, then the sauce is ready. Turn off the heat and put it aside.

Put some flour on a work table.

While the potatoes are still hot, mash them on the work table using a potato ricer. Create a hole in the middle of the mashed potatoes, add the eggs + a good pinch of salt and start mixing.

One golden rule for the gluten free gnocchi by my aunt Nanà:

You need to add as much flour to the dough until the dough isn’t sticky anymore. When you feel with your hands that the dough is no longer sticky and it is still soft, then you know that it is ready. And believe me, if I can, you can 😉

Once ready, you can start by cutting a piece of dough, roll it with the palm of your hands until it becomes a long cuty pasta snake of the diameters you want it to be. Then cut it in small bits with the help of a kitchen knife. Put the gnocchi in a large plate where you previously put some flour.

To cook the gnocchi, take a large pot, add water.  When the water starts boiling add a pinch of salt, then the gnocchi. They are ready when they rise to the surface.

Take the gnocchi out of the pot using a slotted spoon.

Put them into a large bowl, add the mozzarella cheese, the tomato sauce and mix gently until the cheese starts to melt.

Serve with grated parmigiano reggiano and fresh basil.

Buon Appetito!