Ingredients

2 ½ lbs. Idaho potatoes
2 large eggs
1 tsp. salt
1 cup Miceli’s ricotta cheese
1 tbsp. self-rising flour
1 ½ lbs. all-purpose flour

For tomato sauce:  
2 lbs. ripe Italian plum tomatoes
1 small onion, finely minced
1 carrot, g rated
1 celery stalk, minced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
4 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1/8 tsp. hot pepper
2 tbsp. fresh basil, chopped
1 cup tomato sauce
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation
For gnocchi:
Scrub potatoes. Place in a 6-quart pot of water and boil until tender, about 30 minutes.

Drain water from potatoes, and then cool in pot. Peel and rice potatoes using a ricer. (Do not use a food processor). Cool at least 30 minutes.

Make a well with the riced potatoes. Add eggs, salt, ricotta cheese, self-rising flour and half the flour to the middle of the well. Slowly combine the eggs, cheese and flour with the potatoes, to make a dough. Work dough with the palms of your hands. Add remaining flour, only if needed. Dough should be smooth but not sticky.

Cut dough into five equal pieces. On a floured surface, use your palms to roll each piece into a long tube. Use a dough cutter to cut each tube into 1-inch-long pieces. Dust each gnocchi with flour and place on gnocchi maker.

Roll each piece, pressing with your thumb to give it the classic shape. Bring a 5-quart pot of salted water to boil. Cook gnocchi for 4 to 5 minutes. Once the gnocchi come to the surface of the water, let them cook 1 more minute and then remove with a slotted spoon to a platter. Top with tomato sauce.

For tomato sauce:
In a 5-quart pot, blanch tomatoes in boiling water for a few minutes. Drain and then peel. Chop and set aside.

In a 6-quart stockpot, sauté onion, carrot, celery and garlic in the olive oil until onion is transparent, about 5 minutes. Add prepared tomatoes and hot pepper. Cook at medium heat for 20 minutes, or until reduced. Add basil. Season sauce with salt and pepper and cook for 10 minutes.