Nonna Rina gnocchi with brown sauce

Directions

• Sauté onions in a pot with butter, and then add a little water at a time until the onions become translucent.
• Add meat to onions and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
• Slowly fan the meat until the water is gone.
• While meat is browning in a separate small frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons oil; when oil is hot, add flour to make gravy paste.
• Add this to meat then add tomato puree, stir, then add water until meat is covered.
• Put in a crock pot on high with the lid on.
• For about 8 hours, I make it at night and cook it overnight.
• Add salt to potatoes and cook with jackets on.
• Peel and mash potatoes while hot.
• When butter is melted (about 5 minutes), mix potatoes thoroughly.
• Cover with dishtowel and allow to cool.
• Make a small well in the center of the potatoes and pour in eggs and mix well.
• Gradually add flour and additional salt to taste. Knead well to form dough. Separate mixture into 4 equal parts.
• Sprinkle each with flour.
• Roll each portion into a roll the thickness of a sausage.
• Slice in pieces slightly thicker than 1/2 inch.
• Gently roll each on a flatter grade, slightly curling each piece.
• Pieces should resemble macaroni shells.
• Cook into 4 quarts boiling, salted water (cook about 1/3 of total amount at one time) about 20-30 seconds. Gnocchi will rise to the top.
• Serve with the brown sauce recipe. Sprinkle with Parmesan.