Zia Iolanda's Gnocchi with a Sicilian Oxtail Tomato Sauce Recipe

HOW TO MAKE THE OXTAIL SAUCE:

1. Place the olive oil into a pot over medium heat, then add the pieces of oxtail, vegetables and garlic, cinnamon and cloves and sauté gently until they start to brown and become dry; put the heat up a little and add the white wine, stirring occasionally. (Note: my mother accidentally chopped the celery instead of cutting it into large pieces--she's been fired--just kidding!)
2. Cook down the wine until it has almost completely evaporated then add the tomato puree, salt and pepper.
3. Stir well and bring to a simmer, stirring once in a while. Allow to cook gently for about 1 ¼ hours or more. Taste for salt and pepper, remove from the heat and remove the celery. The sauce is now ready. Enjoy the oxtail on the side or afterwards.

HOW TO MAKE AUTHENTIC ITALIAN GNOCCHI:

1. Measure the water and put into a kettle or pot to boil. Place the flour in a large bowl and make a well in the center. Pour the boiling water into the well in the flour.
2. Using the handle of a wooden spoon, or a spurtle, if you have one, stir the water into the flour as quickly as possible, mixing as much of the flour into the water as possible while the water is still hot. Continue stirring until the mixture is cool enough to handle, then begin to gently knead by hand until a rough dough is formed. Place onto a floured countertop and continue to knead gently.
3. The dough should come together nicely, but it will become dry and hard quickly, so keep it covered with slightly damp cloth as you roll the gnocchi. Cut a slice of dough and begin to roll it into a long sausage shape on a lightly floured counter.
4. Once the piece of dough is rolled into a uniform size from end to end, cut ½" to ¾" (pick one size and make them all the same) pieces and no, this is not my best knife (cutting on granite is not recommended)!
5. Now you are ready to start making rolling the gnocchi, but before you begin, sprinkle a baking tray lightly with semolina or fine corn meal, or even flour (but semolina works best so they don't stick to the tray). If you don't have the wooden gnocchi tool, use a dinner fork. Begin by holding one piece of dough with your thumb and two fingers, gently push your fingers into the dough, rolling it down the tool or fork until it is a circular shape.
6. Place the finished gnocchi on the prepared tray and continue the rolling, cutting and shaping until all the dough has been used.
7. Keep the gnocchi covered with a clean kitchen towel until you are ready to cook them. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and carefully drop the gnocchi into the water when it is boiling using a pastry scraper/cutter.

COOK AND SERVE THE GNOCCHI:

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and carefully drop the gnocchi into the water when it is boiling using a pastry scraper/cutter. Boil the gnocchi and they will rise to the top; continue to cook for a further 3 or 4 minutes then check if they are ready by tasting one. They will be chewy, but the center will be cooked when they are done.
2. Gently drain the gnocchi and place in a warm serving bowl.
3. Add some of the heated sauce to the gnocchi and stir gently to coat all the gnocchi evenly.
4. Place in serving bowls and sprinkle with some grated Parmesan cheese and please--if you actually go to the trouble to make homemade gnocchi, use authentic PARMIGIANO REGGIANO, D.O.P.