Traditional Potato Gnocchi with Slow-Cooked Ragù

🛒 Ingredients

• 500g Potato Gnocchi
• 300g Mixed ground meat (beef and pork)
• 800g Peeled tomatoes
• 120g Yellow onion
• 80g Carrot
• 50g Celery
• 100ml Dry red wine
• 40ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 5g Fine salt
• 1g Freshly ground black pepper
• 20g Tomato paste
• 100ml Water or Vegetable Broth
• 50g Grated Parmigiano Reggiano DOP

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. Step 1: For the ragù: finely chop the onion, carrot and celery to make the soffritto.
2. Step 2: In a heavy-bottomed pot, heat the extra virgin olive oil. Add the chopped vegetables and sweat over low heat until soft and translucent, about 8-10 minutes.
3. Step 3: Add the ground meat and brown over higher heat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until well coloured.
4. Step 4: Deglaze with red wine and allow to evaporate completely.
5. Step 5: Stir in the tomato paste for one minute. Add the peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand or with a fork, along with the water or vegetable broth.
6. Step 6: Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to the lowest heat, cover and simmer for at least 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours, stirring occasionally. The ragù should be thick and deeply flavoured.
7. Step 7: Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
8. Step 8: Once boiling, gently drop in the potato gnocchi.
9. Step 9: Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the gnocchi float to the surface.
10. Step 10: Lift the gnocchi out with a slotted spoon and transfer directly into the ragù. Stir gently to coat evenly.
11. Step 11: Serve immediately, finishing each plate with a generous grating of Parmigiano Reggiano DOP.

💡 Chef’s Tips

• For an even richer ragù, add a piece of pork rind or a bay leaf during the slow cook. The collagen released by the rind gives the sauce a silky, velvety depth.
• Never overcook gnocchi. The moment they float to the surface, they are ready. Lift them out immediately with a slotted spoon and transfer straight into the ragù — every extra second softens the texture.
• The ragù only gets better overnight. Prepare it the day before and let the flavours deepen — a practical advantage for any professional kitchen.