Gnocchi in Tomato Broth

My all-time favorite food is pasta with red sauce (the way my mom makes it). This dish is quite similar to that, but with a twist. Instead of pasta, you make gnocchi, and instead of using petite diced tomatoes, you use a tomato broth. I had never made home made gnocchi before this, and I was pleasently surprised at how simple it was!

In fact, we made this dish right before Thanksgiving, and I thought that it would be the perfect way to use left-over mashed potatoes. So the day after Thanksgiving, Shea's mom, aunt, and I used a variation on this recipe to make two versions of gnocchi; one with regular potatoes, and one with sweet potatoes, and both were delicious. I think we may have a new Thanksgiving leftover tradition!


Gnocchi in Tomato Broth
Courtesy of Smitten Kitchen by Deb Perlman

Ingredients
Tomato Broth
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Medium carrot, chopped
1 Medium stalk celery, chopped
1 Small yellow onion, chopped
2 Garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
1/2 Cup white wine
1 28-ounce can whole or chopped tomatoes with juives
Small handful of fresh basil leaves, plus more for garnish
2 Cups chicken or vegetable stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.

Gnocchi
2 Pounds Russet potatoes (3 or 4)
1 Large egg, lightly beaten
1 Teaspoon table salt
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 Cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting surface

Bake Potatoes - Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Bake potatoes for 45 minutes to one hour, depending on size, until a thin knife can easily pierce through them. Meanwhile, make your tomato broth.

Make Tomato Broth - Heat the oil in a heavy pot over medium high heat. Once it is hot, add the carrot, celery, and onion, and cook together for 5 minutes, reducing the heat to medium if they begin to brown. Add the garlic, and cook for 1 minute more. Pour in the wine, and use it to scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan, then cook the wine until it is reduced by half, for several minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, mashing them with a spoon if whole, and the basil and stock, and simmer until the tomato broth thickens slightly, for about 45 minutes. Strain out the vegetables in a fine-mesh colander, and season with salt and pepper to taste.