These soft gnocchi from Tuscany are the ultimate version of the kind most commonly served at Italian-American restaurants. The dish is amped up with briny chopped capers and green olives. Featured in: All the Gnocchi.

Find this recipe in the cookbook, SAVEUR: Italian Comfort Food.

Ingredients

For the Gnocchi

• 2 lb. medium Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed
• 1 2⁄3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 7 tbsp. homemade ricotta or store-bought whole-milk ricotta
• 2 tsp. kosher salt
• 2 eggs

For the Sauce

• 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 1⁄2 tsp. crushed red chile flakes
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 medium yellow onion, minced
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 6 tbsp. unsalted butter, cubed
• 2 (28-oz.) cans whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 3⁄4 cup pitted green Castelvetrano or Gaeta olives, pitted and halved
• 1⁄3 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano, plus more for serving
• 1⁄4 cup capers, rinsed and roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp. roughly chopped wild or regular oregano

Instructions

1. Make the gnocchi: Boil potatoes in a 4-qt. saucepan of water. Reduce heat to medium-high; simmer until potatoes are tender, 25–30 minutes, and drain. When cool enough to handle, peel and pass the potatoes through a potato ricer into a bowl. Add flour, ricotta, salt, and eggs; using your hands, mix until a smooth dough forms. If dough is sticky, add more flour, 1 tbsp. at a time, as needed.
2. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface; quarter dough. Working with one-quarter dough at a time, use your hands to roll dough into a 3⁄4″-thick rope. Cut rope crosswise into 1″ gnocchi; transfer to a flour-dusted, parchment paper—lined baking sheet. Separate gnocchi to prevent sticking. Cover with plastic wrap; chill until ready to cook.
3. Make the sauce and serve: Heat oil in a 6-qt. saucepan over medium. Cook chile flakes, garlic, bay leaf, onion, and rosemary until vegetables are soft, 6–8 minutes. Add butter, tomatoes, and salt; simmer until thickened, about 1 1⁄2 hours. Discard bay leaf and rosemary; keep sauce warm. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a simmer over medium-high. Cook gnocchi, all at once, until they float, 2–3 minutes. Stir olives, pecorino, capers, and oregano into sauce. Using a slotted spoon, transfer gnocchi to sauce; season with salt and pepper and stir to combine. Divide gnocchi between serving bowls; drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with pecorino.

Source: Saveur