Tiny Potato Dumplings with Tomato, Onion, and Guanciale Sauce (Gnocchetti all' Amatriciana)

Ingredients for Tiny Potato Dumplings with Tomato, Onion, and Guanciale Sauce (Gnocchetti all' Amatriciana)

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 140g guanciale (cured pork jowl)* or pancetta, finely chopped (80g )

• 1 large red onion, finely chopped (190g )

• 1 small garlic clove, minced

• 1 (28- to 900g ) can plum tomatoes, drained (reserving juice) and finely chopped

• 120ml water

• 1 teaspoon sugar

• 1/2 teaspoons salt

• 675g yellow-fleshed potatoes such as Yukon Gold

• 190g plain flour plus additional for dusting

• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt

• Accompaniment: finely grated Pecorino Romano

• a potato ricer

Heat oil in a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté guanciale and onion, stirring, until onion is golden, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and sauté, stirring, until golden, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes with reserved juice, water, sugar, and salt and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 30 minutes.

Cover potatoes with salted cold water by 2 inches in a large pot, then simmer, uncovered, until very tender, about 25 minutes. Drain in a colander and, when cool enough to handle, peel.

Force warm potatoes through ricer into a large bowl. Add flour and salt and stir with a wooden spoon until mixture begins to come together. Gently form dough into a ball and cut in half.

Knead each dough half on a floured surface until smooth, about 1 minute (if dough sticks to surface, dust lightly with additional flour). Cut each half evenly into 10 pieces. Roll 1 piece into a 14-inch-long rope (1/2 inch thick), keeping remaining pieces covered with a kitchen towel. Cut rope crosswise into 1/4-inch pieces and toss pieces lightly with flour on work surface.

Press a piece of dough against tines of a floured fork and push with a floured thumb in a forward rolling motion toward end of tines, letting gnocchetti fall from fork into a well-floured shallow baking pan. Make more gnocchetti in same manner.

Just before cooking, gently shake gnocchetti in 4 batches in a large medium-mesh sieve to knock off excess flour. Cook gnocchetti in 4 batches in a 5- to 6-quart pot of boiling salted water until they float, about 1 minute. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a large shallow bowl as cooked and spoon some sauce on top.

Disclaimer

While every effort has been made to ensure the information is accurate and up to date, individual needs may vary and dietary requirements can differ based on personal health conditions. Always check food labels and allergen information before preparing or consuming any recipe. If you have specific health concerns, allergies, intolerances, or are following a medically prescribed diet, seek advice from your GP, pharmacist, or a registered dietitian before making significant changes to your diet or lifestyle.