Potato Gnocchi with Tomato-Beef Ragu.  Little puffs of heaven.

I’m not used to making Gnocchi with a red sauce, but I’m game for anything that has the word, “Gnocchi” in it.  Like a pillow for my taste buds.  Love it.

We’ll start by making the Ragu.

Melt some onions with parsley, bay leaf, garlic and olive oil.

Add some ground beef and brown.  When evenly browned, add tomato paste and a touch of sugar and salt- and water.  Simmer for about an hour and a half.

I have a tendency to use the pots and dishes that I like regardless of size constraints.  I’m living on the edge with this one- check out how full this pot is.  I managed a nice long simmer with no spills.  (Miracle)

Now for the Gnocchi- This recipe called for 2-3 russet potatoes (1 1/2 pounds) I got this potato on sale at met market for sixty cents… Have you ever seen a bigger potato?  It’s crazy.

Any way- boil your huge potato until tender (I cut it up because it was so big)

Peel and put through a ricer.  Let steam escape for about 15 minutes.  Dryer potato makes for better texture for Gnocchi.  Add a touch of salt and 1 1/2 cups flour.  This will combine to a crumbly mixture.

Knead the dough until it comes together and is smooth (about five minutes) but don’t over knead or it gets tough.

Divide your Gnocchi and create some ropes that are about 1/2 inch thick.  Then cut into about 3/4 inch segments.  (I am a horrible judge of size and they all turn out a little wonky.)

But for some reason, I love this picture.  To see them all on the counter gets me excited for the goodness to come.

This picture too.  Like a Gnocchi army looking to take over my bathroom scale.

After the Gnocchi is cut, boil for about five minutes, or until they rise to the surface.

Then, add them to your finished Ragu to tighten the sauce around the Gnocchi.  Simmer for a few minutes.

Serve with some fresh parsley and grated parmesan.

Come to Mama.

From Cooking with Italian Grandmothers.  Full recipe is here.