Potato Gnocchi With Bolognese Sauce

The gnocchi ( from the Italian gnocchi , plural of gnocco , ‘bun’ and also ‘grumo’ or ‘pelotilla’) are a very typical Italian dish and that we don’t usually do it in Spanish houses.

They are found in pasta even if they contain potatoes, ricotta or even spinach.

For Italians, food is a special moment of the day to share with their loved ones and one of their favorite dishes, without a doubt, is gnocchi. It has no difficulty and is a way of “eating Italian” without resorting to the typical pasta with tomato or the usual pizza.

Go ahead and cook this new dish.

Ingredients

For the gnocchi :

• 1 kilo of potatoes
• ½ kilo of flour
• 1 egg or a yolk
• 1 splash of extra virgin olive oil
• Grated Parmesan cheese
• Nutmeg (optional)
• Salt

For the Bolognese sauce :

• 2 cans of natural tomato
• 1 tablespoon sugar (optional)
• 2 tablespoons milk (optional)
• ½ kilo of minced meat (half beef and half pork)
• 1 medium onion
• A splash of extra virgin olive oil
• Oregano, basil, bay leaf, thyme (optional)
• Ground black pepper
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 green bell pepper (optional)
• A small carrot (optional)
• Parsley (optional)
• Grated Parmesan cheese

Utensils

• 1 or 2 large casseroles
• 1 fork or a masher
• A wringer
• 1 large bowl

Preparation

• First, wash the potatoes well with the skin.
• Put the whole potatoes in a saucepan with a little salt.
• It is very important that you cook them with skin. In this way less water enters the potato and requires less flour when making your gnocchi .
• Drain the potatoes well. When cool, peel off the skin.
• Mash the potatoes with a fork or mash them in a large bowl.
• Add the flour, Parmesan cheese and the egg or just the yolk and make a paste. It should not be too hard or too runny.

• Then transfer the mixture to a floured table and knead well until all the ingredients are well integrated.
• Then, with the dough, make long strips and start cutting pieces between 2 and 3 cm, the typical size of gnocchi.
• Now prepare the Bolognese sauce. There are many variants of Bolognese sauce. We offer you one, but you can give it your personal touch.
• Then, chop the onion and the rest of the vegetables that you have decided to incorporate very small and finite.
• Make a sauce with the onion and minced meat and a little salt.
• Add the spices you like : basil, oregano, bay leaf, thyme, ground black pepper.
• If you are not very used to using spices, start small, better to fall short! Learn combinations of spices, on the net you will find a lot of ideas.
• Add the tomato and let it make a sauce. If you want the sauce to be softer and less acidic, add the sugar and milk to the tomatoes.
• Finally, cook the gnocchi in boiling water. They will be ready when they float.

• Add the gnocchi to the sauce and voila!

Data of interest

• When you cook pasta, use a lot of water.  They cook faster and also don’t stick.
• You can also give it the typical striped shape with the help of a fork, although it will take longer.
• Present the dish with grated Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley.
• If you want to subtract calories from this dish, eliminate the Parmesan cheese completely, both in the gnocchi and in the final dish.
• Cheese has a ton of calories. Choose a low-fat minced meat and do not use canned tomato sauce.
• Although olive oil is very healthy, it has many calories, so try to use a little oil. One trick is to put the oil in a sprayer or pour it with a spoon, so you control the amount very well.

• If you want to finish your Italian meal well, accompany it with a good Italian wine and prepare a tiramisu for dessert.
• When you get the hang of gnocchi, try other recipes. There are those that include spinach, ricotta cheese, pumpkin pulp …
• In Uruguay and Argentina the most typical are those of potato, although cornstarch and polenta are also eaten.
• It is said that gnocchi were eaten on July 27, Saint Pantaleon’s day, with a bill under the plate to attract luck and prosperity.