• Preheat the oven to 425F.

For the tomato sauce:

• Heat oil: In a large saute' pan or medium saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-high until it's shimmering.
• Add some garlic: Add garlic and cook until fragrant (no more than a minute, or it will brown).
• Tomatoes: Add in the tomatoes and the juice(I break up the tomatoes with my hands, removing the hard end before adding to the sauce).
• Bring to a boil: Bring the sauce to a boil and use a wooden spoon to stir, breaking up the tomatoes while they’re cooking.
• Lower heat: Once the sauce comes to a boil for a few minutes, lower heat to a simmer.
• Season sauce: Season with the salt, and let the sauce cook and thicken.
• Check the consistency of sauce: If it’s getting too thick, add a little bit of water (start with a ¼ cup).
• Add fresh basil: Finally, stir in the fresh basil and stir to combine (and parsley, if you’re using).
• Simmer sauce: Let sauce simmer for 20 minutes total. Check the salt and add more if needed. Add hot pepper flakes, if you like it spicy. Add in cherry mozzarella or one large torn ball of mozzarella and some fresh basil. Give it a stir and cook up the gnocchi.

Cook the gnocchi:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook the gnocchi until they float to the top.

Combine with the sauce:

• Strain the gnocchi and add immediately to the sauce. Stir to combine and add to a heat proof baking dish or place your oven proof skillet in the heated oven.

Bake the gnocchi:

• Bake in oven: Add on some torn mozzarella on top and place in the oven to melt. About 8 minutes should be enough. Broil it for the last 1-2 minutes to give it a little color. Keep a really good eye on it under the broiler, as it could burn quickly! When the mozzarella is golden, a little crispy, melted and bubbling, remove from the oven.
• Serve: Add on some fresh basil and serve. ENJOY!