First courses
Gnocchi alla sorrentina with Minnelea basil Sugo
Gnocchi alla sorrentina are the baked pasta dish of Sorrento: potato gnocchi, tomato, stringy mozzarella and basil, browned in the oven. With Minnelea Sugo al Basilico, already cooked with passata, extra virgin olive oil, onion and basil, the sauce is ready: you toss the gnocchi in it, layer them with mozzarella and bake for ten minutes.
Method
- Cut the mozzarella into cubes and leave it to drain in a sieve for at least 20 minutes: if it is too wet, it releases water in the oven and the sauce becomes runny.
- Heat the oven to 220 °C, conventional setting. In a wide pan, warm the Sugo al Basilico over a low heat for 3–4 minutes with a few basil leaves torn by hand: it is already cooked and only needs to heat through.
- Bring plenty of salted water to the boil and cook the gnocchi: lift them out with a slotted spoon as soon as they float and transfer them straight into the sauce. Stir gently.
- Oil a baking dish and spread half the gnocchi, half the mozzarella and half the Parmesan. Cover with the remaining gnocchi and finish with the rest of the mozzarella and Parmesan.
- Bake for 10–12 minutes, the last 2–3 under the grill, until the mozzarella is stringy and the top has coloured. Serve with a few fresh basil leaves.
Minnelea products for this recipe
The preserves used in this recipe.
Tradition calls for fior di latte, not buffalo mozzarella, which releases more whey. You can also make them in individual terracotta dishes. Fresh gnocchi need very little cooking: if they stay in the water too long, they fall apart in the oven. The recipe contains wheat and milk.