This gnocchi with tomato cream sauce recipe is similar to the gnocchi della nonna dish served at Nando Milano, a favorite local restaurant. It is creamy and cheesy, so definitely a comfort food. It also turns out to be super easy to prepare.
To make it easy, We often use the refrigerated gnocchi. That makes for a quick weekday meal. Someday we will make gnocchi from scratch. I need to get a potato ricer. That is one tool we don’t have in our kitchen.
Quick notes
I really like the parmesan cheese to have a bit of texture. That is one of the things I liked about this dish in the restaurant. Adding the cheese at the very end seems to do that. My cream sauce is similar to one that I like from The Pasta Bible cookbook. I prefer to cut the cream by half though.
Variations
Half portions work well as a side dish.
Tools
This stick blender works well: Cuisinart CSB-75BC Smart Stick 2-Speed Immersion Hand Blender. We just got this in late 2013 after our old one which was a Williams Sonoma one stopped working. Prices have come down a lot since we bought the previous one unless you get the multifunction kind. They make stick blenders with whisk attachments and choppers. I didn’t need those functions. I would use the food processor or a stand mixer for those things, so I got this basic one. It is only a blender.
Prep Time | 5 minutes |
Cook Time | 15 minutes |
Servings |
people
|
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 cup dry white wine like Sauvignon Blanc
- 1/3 cup cream
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese shredded
- 16 ounces gnocchi a typical refrigerated package
- a few basil leaves cut into strips
Ingredients
|
|
- Combine tomatoes and wine in a saucepan and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add cream to sauce and reduce heat to low as you cook the Gnocchi.
- Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil then add a few teaspoons of salt.
- Boil gnocchi as the package describes, about 3-4 minutes. Keep a half cup of pasta water just in case you need it, then strain off the water.
- If sauce is lumpy, use a stick blender to smooth it out.
- Add pasta water a quarter cup at a time if sauce seems thick.
- Just before serving, gently combine gnocchi and parmesan cheese in the sauce.
- Portion into bowls and garnish with the basil.