Potato gnocchi al pomodoro

Prep: 45 minutes Cook: 1 hour Makes: 6 servings 3 pounds starchy russet potatoes 2 cups flour, plus more for dusting 1 extra-large egg Kosher salt 1⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 2 cups basic tomato sauce, see recipe 12 fresh basil leaves Place the potatoes in a large saucepan and add cool water to cover. Bring the water to a boil and cook the potatoes until soft, about 45 minutes. While still warm, peel the potatoes and pass them through a food mill onto a clean pasta board. 2 Bring 6 quarts water to a boil in a large pot. Set up an ice bath next to the stove with 4 cups of ice and 3 quarts water. 3 Make a well in the center of the potatoes and sprinkle them with the flour. Place the egg and a pinch of salt in the center of the well and, using a fork, stir the egg into the flour and potatoes. Bring the dough together, kneading gently until a ball is formed. Continue to knead gently for 4 minutes more until the dough is dry to the touch. Cut a tennis ball-size hunk of dough off the main ball and roll it into a dowel about 3⁄4-inch thick. 4 Cut across the dowel to form lozenges about 1-inch long. Roll each down the tines of a fork to form the traditional gnocchi shape. Repeat with the remaining dough. Keep the formed gnocchi on a lightly floured baking sheet. 5 Drop a third of the gnocchi into the boiling water. When they are floating aggressively, after 3 to 4 minutes of cooking, remove the gnocchi with a slotted spoon and transfer to the ice bath. Repeat with the remaining batches of gnocchi, and allow all the gnocchi to cool in the ice bath. Drain the cooked gnocchi well, stir in the olive oil, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use. The gnocchi will keep in the fridge for up to two days. 6 When you are ready to serve the gnocchi, bring 6 quarts water to a boil in a pasta pot and add 2 tablespoons salt. Put the tomato sauce in a blender or a food processor and blend until smooth and homogenous, then pour the sauce into a 12- to 14-inch saute pan. Gently bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. 7 Place the gnocchi into the pasta pot and cook until they all float, then use a slotted spoon or spider to carefully transfer the gnocchi to the pan with the sauce. Raise the heat to medium and toss gently for about 30 seconds. Tear the basil leaves into a few pieces, add to the pan and toss together for 30 seconds more. Dump the pasta and sauce into a heated bowl and serve immediately.

Nutrition information per serving: 564 calories, 19 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 36 mg cholesterol, 86 g carbohydrates, 10 g sugar, 13 g protein, 585 mg sodium, 7 g fiber