Zia Iolanda’s Authentic Italian Gnocchi with a Sicilian Oxtail Tomato Sauce Recipe

This authentic Italian gnocchi recipe with a Sicilian oxtail tomato sauce is a delicious meal you can make for your family which will make you feel as though you are in Italy.

As you might know, I have already featured my mother and five of her six sisters here on my site, along with a recipe which reminds me of them, or a dish they are well known for.

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Well, it’s time to add the sixth and final sister, my Zia Iolanda (pronounced Yoh-LAND-ah) who is by no means any different than the rest of her sisters as far as her culinary talents are concerned.

Zia Iolanda is the third eldest of seven sisters, and lives a few paces away from her parents’ old house (my grandparents’ home), and the same one she was born in. She lives there with her son, Gianfranco. You may recall, Gianfranco is my cousin who makes Peaches and Cognac. He loves to douse all of his cakes and desserts with some type of liqueur, including his very own trifle. (In his defense, trifle needs to be doused with alcohol!)

Zia Iolanda and Gianfranco grow grapes to make their own wine, have a huge garden and lots of fruit trees, along with a few chickens. Zia Iolanda keeps the local cats fed better than I feed my own family. Do you think I’m joking, because I’m not! When we visit, it’s like torture to see the things the stray cats are given to eat which I can’t even find in shops in LA!

A funny Italian cat story

Once, I gave the cats some old, leftover chicken meat and they refused to eat it! I just couldn’t fathom that hungry, stray cats would turn down chicken. Just then, Zia Iolanda happened to be passing by, however she was not surprised in the least that the cats weren’t eating the chicken.

She went inside and came out with a bowl of spaghetti sauce, dolloped some of it onto the chicken and the cats tore into it; I could not believe my eyes. Now, those were true Italian cats!

One of my all time favorite dishes is gnocchi, and Zia Iolanda makes some of the best gnocchi I’ve ever eaten, if not the best gnocchi I’ve ever eaten. FYI, gnocchi is pronounced “nyaw-kee”. There’s no “ch” sound in gnocchi.

Zia Iolanda also makes killer fried chicken, but I decided to share her gnocchi as I have really wanted to put the recipe on my site for a long time. Not to mention that today is Thursday which is the traditional day to have gnocchi in Italy!

Types of authentic Italian gnocchi

My family usually makes three kinds of gnocchi: with ricotta, with potato, and without potato, and although I think they are all incredibly delicious, there is a noticeable difference amongst them.

Gnocchi made with flour and boiling water are more dense, a bit heavier and have more of a chew to them. This is the type Zia Iolanda usually makes. The gnocchi made with ricotta or potatoes are more light and soft, with less of a firm texture to them, so it’s truly just a matter of taste.

My mother is staying with me at the moment, so it was much easier for me to take photos of her making the authentic Italian gnocchi. I usually do everything, including taking the photos on my own, which is quite difficult when you’re rolling dough.

Don’t worry if you don’t have the little wooden gnocchi roller that my mother is using in the photos and video because you can simply use a regular fork to form them in the exact same way.

Traditionally, gnocchi are served with an oxtail tomato sauce, and Zia Iolanda makes a really unique Sicilian recipe. It was given to her many years ago by a brigadiere (a police sergeant) which includes a little cinnamon and cloves. You could probably give an Italian a heart attack by serving the wrong type of pasta sauce with the wrong pasta, so this tells you how seriously they take this business!

Don’t tell any other Italians I said this, but I also like gnocchi with a quick pasta sauce, or even vodka sauce. I could go on and on with lots of stories relating to my family and gnocchi, like the time my cousin Ketie made enough for an army, but I think you’d probably just like the recipe at this point, so here you go: authentic Italian gnocchi!

Zia Iolanda’s Authentic Italian Gnocchi
with Sicilian Oxtail Tomato Sauce

serves 4 to 6

SICILIAN OXTAIL SAUCE

• • 2 tbsp good quality extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 or 4 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1 stalk of celery, cut into 3 pieces
  • 2 or 3 pieces of oxtail

• a pinch or two of cinnamon
• 1 or 2 cloves
• 1/4 cup (2 oz) white wine
• 24 to 28 ounces (about 700 g) tomato puree (I use Mutti) 
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Make the sauce

Place the olive oil into a pot over medium heat, then add the pieces of oxtail, vegetables and garlic, cinnamon and cloves and sauté gently until they start to brown and become dry; put the heat up a little and add the white wine, stirring occasionally. (Note: my mother accidentally chopped the celery instead of cutting it into large pieces–she’s been fired–just kidding!)

Cook down the wine until it has almost completely evaporated then add the tomato puree, salt and pepper.

Stir well and bring to a simmer, stirring once in a while. Allow to cook gently for about 1 1/4 hours or more. Taste for salt and pepper, remove from the heat and remove the celery. The sauce is now ready. Enjoy the oxtail on the side or after the authentic Italian gnocchi.

Authentic Italian Gnocchi

• 3 1/2 cups (454 g) flour
• 12 ounces (355 ml) boiling water
• (a little semolina for dusting baking trays)

Grated Parmigiano Reggiano, to serve

Make the dough

Measure the water and put into a kettle or pot to boil. Place the flour in a large bowl and make a well in the center. Pour the boiling water into the well in the flour.

Using the handle of a wooden spoon, or a spurtle, if you have one, stir the water into the flour as quickly as possible, mixing as much of the flour into the water as possible while the water is still hot.

Continue stirring until the mixture is cool enough to handle, then begin to gently knead by hand until a rough dough is formed. Place onto a floured countertop and continue to knead gently.

Roll and cut the dough

The dough should come together nicely, but it will become dry and hard quickly, so keep it covered with slightly damp cloth as you roll the gnocchi. Cut a slice of dough and begin to roll it into a long sausage shape on a lightly floured counter.

Once the piece of dough is rolled into a uniform size from end to end, cut 1/2″ to 3/4″ (pick one size and make them all the same) pieces and no, this is not my best knife (cutting on granite is not recommended)!

Shaping the gnocchi

Now you are ready to start making rolling the gnocchi, but before you begin, sprinkle a baking tray lightly with semolina or fine corn meal, or even flour (but semolina works best so they don’t stick to the tray). If you don’t have the wooden gnocchi tool, use a dinner fork. Begin by holding one piece of dough with your thumb and two fingers, gently push your fingers into the dough, rolling it down the tool or fork until it is a circular shape.

*3/18/15 a reader just asked about where to purchase the gnocchi tool so I’m adding a link

Place the finished gnocchi on the prepared tray and continue the rolling, cutting and shaping until all the dough has been used.

CLICK ON THE PHOTO BELOW TO SEE MY MUM ROLLING GNOCCHI ON VIDEO.

Cook the authentic Italian gnocchi

Keep the gnocchi covered with a clean kitchen towel until you are ready to cook them. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Carefully drop the gnocchi into the water when it is boiling using a pastry scraper/cutter.

Boil the gnocchi and they will rise to the top. Continue to cook for a further 3 or 4 minutes then check if they are ready by tasting one. They will be chewy, but the center will be cooked when they are done. You can see that we cut into one in the photo below. Gently drain the gnocchi and place in a warm serving bowl.

Add some of the heated sauce to the gnocchi and stir gently to coat all the gnocchi evenly.

All that’s left is to serve and sprinkle with some grated Parmesan cheese. Please, if you actually go to the trouble to make homemade gnocchi, use authentic PARMIGIANO REGGIANO, D.O.P.

Gnocchi in my house is a huge favorite with everyone, and I hope you will find that it is in yours, too!

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Zia Iolanda's Gnocchi with a Sicilian Oxtail Tomato Sauce Recipe

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

An authentic Italian gnocchi recipes with a Sicilian oxtail sauce.

Print

Ingredients

OXTAIL SAUCE

• 2 tbsp good quality extra virgin olive oil
• 3 or 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 stalk of celery, cut into 3 pieces
• 2 or 3 pieces of oxtail
• a pinch or two of cinnamon
• 1 or 2 cloves
• 1/4 cup (2 oz) white wine
• 24 to 28 ounces (about 700 g) tomato puree (I use Mutti in glass jars)
• 1 1/2 tsp (or more) Kosher or sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste

GNOCCHI

• 3 1/2 cups (454 g) flour
• 12 ounces (355 g) boiling water
• a little semolina for dusting baking trays
• Grated Parmigiano Reggiano, to serve

Instructions

HOW TO MAKE THE OXTAIL SAUCE:

Place the olive oil into a pot over medium heat, then add the pieces of oxtail, vegetables and garlic, cinnamon and cloves and sauté gently until they start to brown and become dry; put the heat up a little and add the white wine, stirring occasionally. (Note: my mother accidentally chopped the celery instead of cutting it into large pieces--she's been fired--just kidding!)

Cook down the wine until it has almost completely evaporated then add the tomato puree, salt and pepper.

Stir well and bring to a simmer, stirring once in a while. Allow to cook gently for about 1 1/4 hours or more. Taste for salt and pepper, remove from the heat and remove the celery. The sauce is now ready. Enjoy the oxtail on the side or afterwards.

HOW TO MAKE AUTHENTIC ITALIAN GNOCCHI:

Measure the water and put into a kettle or pot to boil. Place the flour in a large bowl and make a well in the center. Pour the boiling water into the well in the flour.

Using the handle of a wooden spoon, or a spurtle, if you have one, stir the water into the flour as quickly as possible, mixing as much of the flour into the water as possible while the water is still hot.Continue stirring until the mixture is cool enough to handle, then begin to gently knead by hand until a rough dough is formed. Place onto a floured countertop and continue to knead gently.

The dough should come together nicely, but it will become dry and hard quickly, so keep it covered with slightly damp cloth as you roll the gnocchi. Cut a slice of dough and begin to roll it into a long sausage shape on a lightly floured counter.

Once the piece of dough is rolled into a uniform size from end to end, cut 1/2" to 3/4" (pick one size and make them all the same) pieces and no, this is not my best knife (cutting on granite is not recommended)!

Now you are ready to start making rolling the gnocchi, but before you begin, sprinkle a baking tray lightly with semolina or fine corn meal, or even flour (but semolina works best so they don't stick to the tray). If you don't have the wooden gnocchi tool, use a dinner fork. Begin by holding one piece of dough with your thumb and two fingers, gently push your fingers into the dough, rolling it down the tool or fork until it is a circular shape.

Place the finished gnocchi on the prepared tray and continue the rolling, cutting and shaping until all the dough has been used.

Keep the gnocchi covered with a clean kitchen towel until you are ready to cook them. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and carefully drop the gnocchi into the water when it is boiling using a pastry scraper/cutter.

COOK AND SERVE THE GNOCCHI:

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and carefully drop the gnocchi into the water when it is boiling using a pastry scraper/cutter. Boil the gnocchi and they will rise to the top; continue to cook for a further 3 or 4 minutes then check if they are ready by tasting one. They will be chewy, but the center will be cooked when they are done.

Gently drain the gnocchi and place in a warm serving bowl.

Add some of the heated sauce to the gnocchi and stir gently to coat all the gnocchi evenly.

Place in serving bowls and sprinkle with some grated Parmesan cheese and please--if you actually go to the trouble to make homemade gnocchi, use authentic PARMIGIANO REGGIANO, D.O.P.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 855Total Fat: 29gCarbohydrates: 183gProtein: 66g

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authentic Italian gnocchi