The Best of Fine Cooking — Real Italian 2017

gnocchi with sausage

and leek ragù

You can make this sauce ahead and

refrigerate it, covered, for up to 5 days

or freeze it for up to 1 month.

Yields about 3 cups ragù; serves 6

FOR THE SAUCE

1 28-oz. can whole peeled tomatoes

(preferably San Marzano)

1/2 lb. sweet Italian sausage (about 2 links)

3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

1 large leek (white and light green parts

only), trimmed, halved lengthwise, rinsed

well, and cut crosswise into thin half-moon

slices (about 11/2 cups)

2 tsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme

1 tsp. chopped fresh marjoram

1 tsp. minced garlic (about 1 medium clove)

1/2 tsp. kosher salt; more to taste

Freshly ground black pepper

FOR THE GNOCCHI

Kosher salt

1 recipe Potato Gnocchi (see p. 88)

1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

or Grana Padano (optional)

MAKE THE SAUCE

Put the tomatoes and their juices in a food

processor and pulse 4 or 5 times until the

tomatoes are crushed but not completely

puréed.

Remove the sausage from its casing and

tear the sausage apart with your hands into

coarse pieces. Heat 1 Tbs. of the olive oil

in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat.

Add the sausage and cook, further break-

ing it apart with a wooden spoon, until lightly

browned and almost completely cooked

through, 3 to 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon,

transfer the sausage to a plate.

Add the remaining 2 Tbs. olive oil to the

pan, then add the leek, parsley, thyme,

marjoram, garlic, and salt. Cook, stirring, until

the leek is soft and fragrant, about 3 minutes.

Adjust the heat if the garlic or leek shows any

sign of burning.

Add the tomatoes and reserved sausage

and stir well to combine, scraping up any

browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Bring

to a vigorous simmer and then reduce the

heat to medium low. Cover the pan with the lid

slightly ajar and simmer gently for 45 minutes.

If the sauce is bubbling too fast, reduce the

heat to low. Remove the lid and if the sauce

seems watery, continue to simmer, stirring

occasionally, until reduced to a thick sauce

consistency. Adjust the seasoning to taste

with salt and pepper.

COOK THE GNOCCHI ANd TOSS

wITH THE SAUCE

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil

over high heat. To get the gnocchi into the

boiling water, fold the parchment ends to

form a chute and gently shake the gnocchi

out, taking care not to clump them together

as you drop them in. Give one gentle stir, wait

until the gnocchi all float to the surface of

the water, and then cook them for 1 minute.

Carefully drain the gnocchi in a colander.

Transfer them to the sauce and gently toss to

coat. Serve immediately, topped with cheese,

if using.

main dishes

52 REAL ITALIAn 2017