Isabellas Gnocchi With Tomato And Eggplant Sauce Recipes

ISABELLA'S GNOCCHI WITH TOMATO AND EGGPLANT SAUCE

Steps:

• Season eggplant well with salt and set aside for 20 minutes (this will remove any bitterness).
• Meanwhile or the sauce, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a saucepan over medium heat and then add garlic, tomatoes and sugar and season with salt and pepper and then bring to the boil and then reduce heat to low and simmer stirring occasionally for 8 minutes or until thickened and stir in shredded basil.
• Rinse eggplant and pat dry.
• Heat remain oil in a large frying pan and cook eggplant for 6 minutes, turning, or until golden and then drain on paper towel, then stir into tomato sauce, set aside.
• For the gnocchi, place ricotta, parmesan (or pecorino), egg, nutmeg and 35 gram (1/4 cup) flour in a bowl and season with salt and pepper and using your hands mix to form a soft dough, add remaining flour and mix to a stiff dough.
• Transfer dough to a floured surface and roll into 4 logs.
• Cut each roll into 8 pieces and gently roll each ball of gnocchi over the back of a fork to create little ridges.
• Bring a pot water to the boil and cook gnocchi for 2 minutes or until they rise to the surgace and remove with a slotted spoon.
• Add drained gnocchi to the pan of sauce and then stire over a low heat until armed through.
• Divide among bowls and then serve with extra basil and parmesan (or pecorino).

EGGPLANT GNOCCHI (GNOCCHETTI DI MELANZANE)

Steps:

• Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise, score the flesh in a deep diagonal pattern, salt them, oil them, and bake them in a preheated 400 F oven for about 20 minutes. When they are cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh with a spoon, crumble the mixture by hand, and heat it over a brisk flame in a non-stick pan to drive off excess moisture.
• While the eggplant is baking and cooking, boil the potatoes, skin them, and rice them. Make a mound of the cooked-down eggplant, riced potatoes and flour on your work surface, and work the egg into it, together with a pinch each of salt and pepper. Make gnocchi 3/4 of an inch long and half that in diameter, and set them aside on a lightly floured surface while you prepare the sauce (set a pot of water to heat while you're at it).
• Cut the zucchini into rounds, and sauté them in olive oil with the garlic, thyme and oregano. Cover and simmer the vegetables for 10 minutes; in the mean time the water should have come to a boil. Salt it and add the gnocchi, while adding the shrimp and fresh parsley to the zucchini. The gnocchi will rise to the surface as they become done; remove them with a slotted spoon and add them to the sauce. Check seasoning and cook the gnocchi for a few minutes in the sauce, shifting them about in the pan by shaking it as if you were turning an omelet. Serve, garnishing the dish with finely sliced grilled eggplant if you want.

ITALIAN EGGPLANT GNOCCHI BAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
• Add the gnocchi to the boiling water and cook according to the package directions; drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.
• Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and 1/8 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the eggplant and cook, stirring occasionally, until the eggplant is very soft and the onions are golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the heat.
• Add the gnocchi, reserved cooking liquid, marinara sauce and red pepper flakes to the skillet with the eggplant mixture and stir to combine.
• Transfer the eggplant-gnocchi mixture to a 9-inch oval or square baking dish. Sprinkle with the provolone. Bake on the top oven rack until hot and bubbling and the cheese turns golden, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes.
• Garnish with the fresh basil sprigs if using and serve.