Crispy baked gnocchi with tomatoes, basil, mozzarella and pine nuts

Method

1. If making the gnocchi, dust a couple of baking trays generously with polenta. Boil the potatoes in their skins for 15–20 minutes, until very soft inside. This may take a little more or less time depending on the size of the potatoes – start checking at 13 minutes.

2. Drain well, and when cool enough to handle, peel the potatoes. Mash them well, or put them through a potato ricer, then spread into a circle on a clean floured surface.

3. Make a well in the middle of the potato, then crack in the egg and add the Parmesan. Use a fork to bring the dough and the Parmesan together, sprinkling on the flour as you go.

4. Once you have a sticky dough, use floured hands, and knead until you have a smooth, elastic dough.

5. Cut sections off the dough and use your hands to roll them into long ropes, about 1½cm/3/4in in diameter. On a floured surface, use a dough cutter or blunt knife to section the dough into 2½cm/1in pieces. Transfer these into the polenta-lined trays and continue until you’ve used up all the dough.

6. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Cook the gnocchi in batches, using a slotted spoon to remove them from the hot water as soon as they rise to the surface.

7. Tip the cooked gnocchi into a roasting tin large enough to hold it all snugly in a single layer and dress with a tiny bit of olive oil so it doesn’t stick and keep to one side.

8. To make the bake, preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7.

9. Tuck the tomatoes, mozzarella and half the basil into the gnocchi and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to the oven for 25 minutes.

10. When the gnocchi has 5 minutes of cooking time remaining, scatter the pine nuts over the top to toast.

11. Once cooked, tear over the rest of the basil leaves and serve immediately.