Rachel Roddy's recipe for gnocchi alla Sorrentina | A kitchen in Rome

Looking at a map, the Sorrentine Peninsula juts out into the Thyrrhenian Sea as if taking a turn. It supplies the lower curve of the Gulf of Naples and the upper curve of the Gulf of Salerno, while its tip is a few miles from the island of Capri. The thumb bone is the rise and conspicuous rise of the Lattari mountain range, while towns dot the coast, which dips steeply towards the sea. One such town is Sorrento, known to the Romans as Surrentum (but a village long before). Now it is a land of lemons; before, however, it was a land of wine and and, mythical, where mermaids (beautiful or monstrous, depending on who you ask) used haunting songs (rather than thumbs) to lure unwary sailors.

There are also other seductive reasons, and confidence around food; there are a good number of dishes alla Sorrentina – Sorrentine style. Saltimbocca (veal, prosciutto and sage), merluzzo (cod), pollo (chicken), paccheri (large tubes of pasta), lasagna, calamaretti (small calamari) and gnocchi are all cooked Sorrentina style, which means different things for different receipts.

That said, tomatoes and mozzarella (or fior di latte) are usually in the game, especially when it comes to pasta and gnocchi alla Sorrentina. I am inspired by Rita and Mariano Pane and the recipe from their book I Sapori del Sud. It is important that you let the mozzarella drain for at least three hours before using it, so that some of the excess liquid will drain out. Canned tomatoes can be replaced with fresh tomatoes, or you can use a mix and/or a drizzle of concentrate to make the sauce as flavorful as possible. If you like making potato gnocchi, do it. And if you do, I recommend adding an egg to the mix, as it strengthens the dough, making it easier to work and cook, reducing the risk of the gnoccho dissolving. If you prefer to buy gnocchi, this is also ideal.

Sometimes this dish is called gnocchi filanti alla Sorrentina. Filanti means 'thin', referring to the way the mozzarella melts in long strings and pulls in a cat's cradle game as you eat - a seductive reminder to eat it while the gnocchi are still warm.

Gnocchi alla Sorrentina - gnocchi with tomato, mozzarella and basil

For 4 people

For the gnocchi (or buy in 800g) 800g of potatoes250g flour1 egg

For the sauce6 tablespoons olive oil2 cloves of garlic, peeled1 small red chilli, left whole2 400g cans of whole plum tomatoes peeledSalt1 handful of basil leaves350g of mozzarella, drained and cut into cubes50g of grated parmesan

< p class="dcr-3jlghf">To make the gnocchi, boil 800g of washed but unpeeled potatoes until they are tender. When cool enough to peel, press through a potato masher or mash with a fork, add 250g plain flour and an egg, and work until you have a consistent dough - it will be slightly sticky, so work with floured hands. On a floured work surface, divide the dough into four, then roll each piece into a string and cut into 2½ cm diamonds; if desired, roll each gnoccho on a fork to indent it and give it ridges. Set aside on a floured kitchen towel. Alternatively, ready-made gnocchi are excellent.

In a skillet, gently heat the olive oil, garlic and chilli until tender. they are fragrant. Add the tomatoes, salt and basil and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, breaking up the tomatoes with the back of a spoon. The sauce is ready when it is thick and has an oily halo - taste for the salt, and remove and discard the chilli or chop it finely and return it to the sauce for extra heat.

Spoon a little sauce in the bottom of a shallow oval baking dish. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add salt and, when the water comes back to a boil, add the gnocchi. They are ready when they come to the surface. Lift with a slotted spoon, wait 10 seconds for the excess water to drain, then pour into the dish.

Add the rest of the tomato sauce, the basil and half each of the mozzarella and Parmesan, then toss gently to coat well. Squeeze the remaining mozzarella over the top, sprinkle with the remaining parmesan and bake at 200C (180C fan)/390F/Gas 6 for five minutes, or until the mozzarella has melted into small puddles and that the edges bubble. Serve hot.