Foodedo recipe

Sausage, Tomato and Spinach Gnocchi Bake

Name: Sausage, Tomato and Spinach Gnocchi Bake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 65 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 2 tbsp olive oil; 400 g pork sausages (about 6 sausages); 500 g gnocchi (shelf-stable or chilled); 1 brown onion (large, finely sliced); 3 garlic (crushed or finely chopped); 30 g tomato purée; 1 tsp dried oregano; 0.25 tsp chilli flakes (optional); 400 g chopped tomatoes (1 tin); 250 g passata; 100 ml water; 120 g baby spinach; 150 g mozzarella (low-moisture or pizza mozzarella, grated; if using a mozzarella ball, drain well and tear into small pieces); 10 g basil (roughly torn, to serve); 0.75 tsp fine salt (plus extra to taste); 0.5 tsp black pepper (plus extra to taste)

65 min ·

Pan-fried gnocchi and browned pork sausages baked in a rich tomato sauce with spinach and melted mozzarella.

Ingredients

16 items

2 tbspolive oil
400 gpork sausagesabout 6 sausages
500 ggnocchishelf-stable or chilled
1brown onionlarge, finely sliced
3garliccrushed or finely chopped
30 gtomato purée
1 tspdried oregano
¼ tspchilli flakesoptional
400 gchopped tomatoes1 tin
250 gpassata
100 mlwater
120 gbaby spinach
150 gmozzarellalow-moisture or pizza mozzarella, grated; if using a mozzarella ball, drain well and tear into small pieces
10 gbasilroughly torn, to serve
¾ tspfine saltplus extra to taste
½ tspblack pepperplus extra to taste

Recipe notes (3)

Note: A large ovenproof frying pan keeps this to one pan, but if you need to transfer the mixture, use a 2.5 to 3 litre baking dish so it does not overflow as it bubbles in the oven.
Note: Shelf-stable and chilled gnocchi both work here; chilled gnocchi may brown a little faster in the pan.
Note: Low-moisture mozzarella browns best. If using a standard mozzarella ball, drain it very well and tear it into small pieces rather than trying to grate it.

Method

7 steps

Step 1. Heat the oven to 200°C. On a board used only for raw meat, cut the sausages into 3 cm pieces. Slice the onion and prepare the garlic. Keep the raw sausage and its juices away from the gnocchi, spinach and basil, then wash your hands, knife and board well after handling the pork. Use a large 28 cm ovenproof frying pan or shallow casserole if you have one; otherwise have a 2.5 to 3 litre baking dish ready.
Step 2. Set the pan over a medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the sausage pieces in a single layer and brown for 8–10 minutes, turning every couple of minutes, until well coloured on all sides. They do not need to be fully cooked at this stage. Transfer to a plate.
Step 3. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan, then add the gnocchi. Fry for 4–5 minutes, turning occasionally, until lightly golden in patches. Transfer to the plate with the sausages.
Step 4. Turn the heat down to medium. Add the onion with a pinch of the salt and cook for 5 minutes, stirring now and then, until softened. Stir in the garlic, tomato purée, oregano and chilli flakes, if using, and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Step 5. Pour in the chopped tomatoes, passata and water. Add the remaining salt and the black pepper, bring to a gentle simmer, then cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened slightly.
Step 6. Stir the spinach into the sauce in 2 additions and cook for 1–2 minutes until wilted. Return the sausages and gnocchi, along with any plate juices, and fold everything together so the gnocchi is coated. Check the seasoning and add a little more salt or pepper if needed. Scatter over the mozzarella. If your pan is not ovenproof, tip everything into a 2.5 to 3 litre baking dish first. Bake for 12–15 minutes until bubbling and the cheese has melted and browned lightly in places. Check the thickest piece of sausage with a clean probe thermometer; it must reach 75°C for 30 seconds, or 70°C for 2 minutes, before serving.
Step 7. Leave the bake to stand for 5 minutes so the sauce settles slightly, then scatter over the basil and serve.