Gnocchi with Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

• 50 g dried porcini mushrooms
• 1 kg starchy potatoes
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 150 g flour
• 100 g semolina
• Salt
• 1 onion
• 800 g tomatoes
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp thyme
• Salt
• pepper (ground)
• 3 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• thyme leaves

Instructions

1. 1.

   Soak the porcini mushrooms in a small bowl of lukewarm water for about 30 minutes, then drain through a sieve, reserve the liquid and finely chop the mushrooms.

2. 2.

   Wash the potatoes and cook them in boiling salted water for 25 minutes, then drain and let steam. Peel the potatoes and press them while still hot with a potato ricer. Let cool, then mix with semolina, egg, yolk, chopped mushrooms and salt. Knead in enough flour until a homogeneous dough forms. Divide the dough into portions, shape finger‑thick rolls on floured hands, cut into 3 cm pieces, press each piece with a fork to create a pattern, and lightly dust with flour. Cook the gnocchi in simmering salted water for about 5 minutes; when they rise to the surface, remove and drain well.

3. 3.

   For the sauce, steep the tomatoes over hot water, shock them in cold water, peel, quarter, core and dice. Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic.

4. 4.

   Heat the oil, sauté the onions, garlic and bay leaf, add the tomatoes and soaking liquid, then simmer on low heat for 15 minutes. Remove the bay leaf, stir in thyme, season with salt and pepper.

5. 5.

   Serve the gnocchi topped with tomato sauce, sprinkled with Parmesan cheese and garnished with thyme leaves.