Me: “Hmmm what should we make for dinner?”

Nate: “Something easy, I need to be someplace at 10.”

Me: “Okay, how bout gnocchi with a tomato ragu?”

Nate: “Ummmmmmm yeah.”

It’s only proper that we cooked this meal without shirts on because it was sweltering. I wore a chest-hair net.  Nate did not make it to out before 1 am.

your shirtless chefs

The gnocchi isn’t hard to make, it just requires “the touch,” something we are still perfecting.  Bake about 12 russet potatoes until they are soft.  You can also boil until soft or microwave but baking is best.  Baking will take about an hour, so plan accordingly.

baking the russet potatoes

Once they’re soft, cut them in half long ways and scoop out the insides.  If you have a potato ricer, use that to crush each scoop.  Mix the potatoes with your hands and add a bit of flower until the consistency is right.  That’s the hard part.  I’m still not completely sure what it’s supposed to feel like but I would say about a cup of flour is right.  You want to use 00 (“Double O”) flour which you can get at most specialty markets (Bay Cities, Surfas in Los Angeles).  Once you’ve mixed it, roll it out into strips about a half inch in diameter and cut inch pieces out of it.  Then take a fork and roll each piece to create the little indents.  Those are important because the sauce is supposed to sit in there.

mixing the potato and flower

mixing close-up - look at those hands

gnocchi assembly line

a roll of potato and flower

gnocchi

The sauce takes about an hour and you should start it after you put in the potatoes.  Fill the bottom of a pot with about a quarter inch of olive oil and saute some onions, chopped carrots and celery.  Add two or three cloves of crushed garlic.  Cook it over a low heat until the onions are translucent then add some coarsely cut heirloom beefsteak tomatoes and about 2 small cans of tomato paste.  Let that cook for about another 10 minutes.  Cook the meat a little bit in a pan just for about 2 minutes and then add it to the sauce.  Turn it down to a simmer and use a diffuser if you have one to keep the heat even and constant.  Add some italian parsley and more salt and pepper just before serving.

the beginning of the sauce just after adding the tomatoes

tomato paste

searing the ground pork

the sauce cooked down a bit

Heat water in a large pot and salt it as it begins to boil  Cook about 10 or 15 pieces of gnocchi at a time, removing them about 10 seconds after they start to float.  Serve immediately with the sauce and some parmesan cheese.

dinner!