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gnocchi alla vodka with burrata
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Gnocchi Alla Vodka With Burrata

This gnocchi alla vodka is a twist on the classic tomato vodka pasta. Here fluffy potato gnocchi is served in a creamy tomato sauce & topped with rich burrata.
Prep Time5 minutes
25 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Italian
Servings: 4 People
Author: Ben Racey

Equipment

  • Large Saucepans
  • Blender
  • Slotted Spoon

Ingredients

Tomato Vodka Sauce

  • 1 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 40 g Unsalted Butter
  • 2 Small White Onions (Diced - Or Use 1 Large Onion)
  • 4 Garlic Cloves (Thinly Sliced)
  • A Pinch Of Chilli Flakes
  • 130 g Tomato Paste
  • 400 g Tinned Plum Tomatoes
  • 2 tsp Balsamic Vinegar
  • 1 tsp Caster Sugar
  • 25 g Fresh Basil

To Finish

  • 50 g Vodka
  • 150 g Double Cream
  • 60 g Parmesan (Grated)

To Serve

  • 500 g Gnocchi (See Notes)
  • 2 Burrata (At Room Temperature)
  • Olive Oil

Instructions

Tomato Vodka Sauce

  • Place the olive oil & butter into a large saucepan then set over a medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add in the diced onion & a pinch of salt then cook until soft but without any colour. This will take 15-20 minutes.
    Make sure to stir the onions regularly!
  • Add the sliced garlic & chilli flakes to the onions then cook for another minute, stirring frequently.
  • Stir the tomato paste into the onions then cook for 3-4 minutes until it has thickened. Make sure to stir the tomato paste almost constantly to prevent it catching.
  • Once the tomato paste is thick, add the tin of tomatoes into the pan, along with the vinegar & sugar. Fill the empty tomato tin half full with water then add this in as well, using the water to rinse out the tin. Turn the heat down to medium-low & use a wooden spoon to crush the tomatoes.
  • Next, pick the basil leaves from the stalks. Set the the leaves to one side & add the stalks into the sauce.
  • Season the sauce with salt & pepper then cook, stirring frequently until thickened. This will take 15-20 minutes.

To Finish & Serve

  • Once cooked, transfer the sauce into a jug blender then blend until smooth. Make sure to do this carefully as the sauce will be hot! Whilst your sauce is blending, bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil over a high heat.
    If you haven't got a jug blender, a stick blender will work as well.
  • Give the saucepan a quick wipe, pour the sauce back in then set over a low heat. Then once warm, stir in the vodka, followed by the cream & parmesan. Warm the sauce through gently, stirring to melt the cheese.
    Don't let the sauce get too hot, as it could split.
  • Whilst your sauce is warming through, add the gnocchi into the pan of boiling water then cook until it floats. This will only take a couple of minutes.
    Cook the gnocchi as soon as you add the cheese to the sauce.
  • Once the gnocchi is cooked, use a slotted spoon to transfer it to the pan of sauce. Stir, to coat the gnocchi in the sauce, adding in a splash of the gnocchi water if the sauce is a little thick.
  • Give the sauce a taste to check the seasoning, adding in salt & pepper as needed then take the pan off the heat. Tear the basil leaves into the sauce, stir to gently wilt then spoon the gnocchi into 4 bowls.
  • Cut the burratas in half then place a half on top of each portion of gnocchi. Season the cheese with salt & pepper then drizzle over a small amount of olive oil to finish.

Notes

1. To Cook On An Aga - Cook the tomato sauce on the simmering plate and the gnocchi on the boiling plate.
2. Tinned Tomatoes - A good quality tin of plum tomatoes works best for this recipe. If you haven't got any plum tomatoes, chopped tomatoes will work as well.
3. Gnocchi - You can use either shop bought or homemade gnocchi for this dish. If you're using shop bought gnocchi, make sure to follow the cooking instructions on the packet. My homemade gnocchi recipe can be found here.
4. Burrata - Burrata is best served at room temperature. I'd recommend getting the cheese out of the fridge 20 minutes before serving. Mozzarella or grated parmesan are some good alternatives.
5. Vodka - Any good vodka will work. Don't worry about using something expensive though!
6. Leftovers - Leftover gnocchi & sauce needs to be stored in the fridge & is best eaten within 2 days. To reheat, add the sauce & gnocchi into a saucepan with a splash of water then cover with a lid & cook over a medium-low heat until piping hot.