Spicy Sausage Baked Gnocchi

Ingredients

• 17 oz (500g) gnocchi
• 10.5 oz (300g) spicy Italian sausages ((about 3 fat sausages))
• 1 garlic clove (finely chopped)
• 1.5 cups (400g) passata ((tomato puree US))
• 1/2 cup (125ml) cream
• Basil leaves
• 8 oz (250g) fresh mozzarella ((2 balls))
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Steps

1. 1

   Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it well. Pre-heat the oven to 200C (400F)

2. 2

   Meanwhile, heat a drizzle of olive oil in a pan on a medium heat. Remove the sausages from their casings and add them to the pan.

3. 3

   Brown the sausages while breaking them up into crumbs with the side of a wooden spoon.

4. 4

   Once browned, add the garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes.

5. 5

   Next, add the passata and stir in the cream with a pinch of salt and pepper.

6. 6

   Let the sauce simmer gently for around 8 minutes then add the gnocchi to the salted, boiling water and cook until they float to the surface.

7. 7

   Add a handful of fresh basil to the sauce then add the gnocchi and toss them in the sauce. Turn off the heat then add half of the mozzarella (1 ball) chopped into medium sized pieces and stir it into the sauce.

8. 8

   Tear the remaining half of mozzarella (1 ball) into chunks and scatter it over the top of the gnocchi. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes until bubbling and golden. Serve.