Like baked ziti, but better.

I N G R E D I E N T S

• 2 pounds of russet potatoes
• 1 1/2 cups of flour
• 1 egg, beaten
• 15 ounce can of tomato sauce
• 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1/2 yellow onion, diced
• 2 teaspoons of dried oregano
• 1/2 cup of grape tomatoes
• 4 ounces of fresh mozzarella (half a ball)
• 3 slices of prosciutto, shredded into small pieces
• Parsley for garnish
• Salt and pepper to taste

D I R E C T I O N S

1. Scrub the potatoes clean and place them in a pot. Add enough cold water to cover the potatoes by 2 inches. On high heat, heat the potatoes until boiling. Turn the heat down to medium and cook, partially covered, until fork tender (about 25 minutes).
2. Drain the potatoes and let them sit in the pot until cool enough to handle. Once cool, peel the potatoes and mash them until light and fluffy. Add 2 teaspoons of salt. Do not over-mash until gluey!
3. Beat the egg and mix it into the potatoes. Add the flour little by little until a soft dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and knead for a minute. Roll out small portions of dough and use a scraper to cut out gnocchi dumplings about the size of a thumbprint. Place them on a floured tray, making sure they don’t stick to each other. Optional: roll the dumplings along the lines of a fork to create sauce-grabbing ridges.
4. Boil a salted pot of water. In small batches, add the gnocchi to the water and cook until they float to the top (about 1 minute). Drain with a slotted spoon.
5. To make the sauce, heat oil in a pan and cook the onions until translucent and brown. Add the garlic and continue to cook. Add in the tomato paste and continue cooking until the bottom of the pan begins to brown. Add the tomato sauce and simmer on low until heated through. Toss in the tomatoes and turn off the heat once they’re tender, but before they pop or fall apart.
6. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Add the gnocchi and prosciutto to the sauce. Spoon individual portions of the mixture into oven-proof bowls. Top the bowls with pieces of fresh mozzarella, and bake for about 10 minutes until the cheese is melted. Optional: broil for the last 3 minutes to brown the cheese.
7. Garnish with cracked pepper and parsley.

Pro tip: This recipe makes a LOT of gnocchi. Like, enough to feed ten people, or one person ten times. After shaping the gnocchi, place half of them on a baking sheet and freeze. Once frozen, pour them into a freezer bag and save for a rainy day.