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mom's gnocchi and italian sauce

(1 rating)
ajointnurse avatar
Recipe by
Linda Franklin
@ajointnurse
Roanoke, VA

It would not be a holiday without this wonderful dish. From the youngest to the oldest, it is pure joy when she serves this. With all the other dishes in the feast, this is the most requested. Take note, no potatoes in the Gnocchi, too heavy, need room for all the other food. I promise, once you try ricotta, you will never use potatoes again!

(1 rating)
yield 6 serving(s)
prep time 1 Hr
cook time 3 Hr 30 Min

Ingredients For mom's gnocchi and italian sauce

  • 2-28 oz
    cans crushed tomatoes
  • 1small can
    tomato paste, italian
  • 1 clove
    garlic crushed large
  • 1/4 c
    olive oil, light
  • 1 Tbsp
    chopped parsley
  • 1 Tbsp
    basil dry
  • 1 tsp
    salt
  • 1/4 tsp
    pepper
  • 8 oz
    unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 c
    romano cheese
  • 1/2 lb
    ground veal
  • 1/2 lb
    ground chuck
  • 2
    eggs
  • 3/4 c
    seasoned bread crumbs (italian)
  • 1 tsp
    garlic powder
  • 1/2 c
    parmesan cheese grated
  • 3 c
    all purpose flour
  • 1 lb
    ricotta cheese, part-skim

How To Make mom's gnocchi and italian sauce

  • 1
    Saute' garlic in olive oil until tender. Add tomato paste, rinsing can with a 1/2 cup of hot water. Stir well and simmer 15 min. Add applesauce just before adding the meat. While simmering, mix meats with egg working well with hands. Add Parmesan cheese, garlic powder; bread crumbs. Salt and pepper to taste(I usually use about a pinch of both). Roll into meatball shapes size of a ping-pong ball. Drop into sauce. Do Not Fry ahead of time. This is the secret to soft and moist meatballs. Add crushed tomatoes parsley and basil. Stir well, add salt and pepper. Simmer 45 minutes covered, stir after 20 minutes. Stir in applesauce and cheese. Simmer one and one-half hours, covered. Stir every 30 minutes. Keep on warm while cooking pasta.
  • 2
    For homemade Gnocchi: Start with a clean lightly floured surface. In a large bowl, mix flour, ricotta and egg. Mix with hands, working dough into a soft ball. Place on floured surface, knead lightly in flour and roll with rolling pin about 1" depth. Cut with a sharp knife into 1" strips. Roll each strip individually. Cut into 1" pieces. Roll each piece with the side of your thumb, leaving a print. Works best if you push the dough away from you as you work. May freeze ahead of time in a single layer well sealed, or cook immediately. Bring a 6 quart large pan of water to a full boil after the sauce is finished cooking. Add to the water 1/4 cup of salt. Add pasta, boil and stir until they all raise to the top of the pan. Drain. Mix with sauce to keep moist. Then serve each plate with pasta, topped with more sauce, sprinkled with Parmesan cheese to taste, meatballs on the side. Enjoy
  • 3
    Left Over Sauce freezes well for up to 3 months in well sealed quart jars. Great with other pastas, chicken dishes etc.
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