Gnocchi in Tomato Basil Sauce

I was so excited when I saw a package of Gnocchi on sale at Loblaw's (the supermarket I shop at), and i grabbed it before anyone else could..although I could have just been imagining that someone else would have wanted to snatch it before I got my hands on it....... I don't know about you, but I actually really enjoy grocery shopping! I look forward to collecting ingredients for our meals for the next 2 weeks, and mind you, they are based on what is on sale or has the best offer at the supermarket. On one of my grocery shopping adventures, I spotted the man who goes around tagging the "50% off" tickets onto the food products. As soon as I saw him, I grabbed my cart and followed a few steps behind him. I'd wait until he tagged a group of the same product, and then hastily throw one of them in my cart. It was quite an adventure, and I have to admit I was proud of myself for my smooth moves. After hearing my story over dinner, my husband said it would've made a great commercial :)

Anyway, all that just to tell you about how I picked up my gnocchi package.  

I first came to love Gnocchi when I tried "Gnocchi Alla Bava" at one of my favorite italian restaraunts in Lebanon. It's gnocchi in a rich, creamy three-cheese sauce - absoultely delicious. But a little heavy for an entire meal. Today was the first time i make gnocchi and i decided to make it with a homemade tomato sauce instead - much lighter and can be eaten as a meal by itself.

My tomato sauce is based on caramelized onions, basil and yes, you guessed it - garlic :) I know, I'm predictable.

Caramelized onions are also one of my favorite ingredients besides garlic. It's funny how different onions taste when cooked in different ways. In my opinion, the sweet, nutty flavor of caramelized onions is by far the best flavor you can possibly get out of an onion. Ever wonder why they are called Caramelized onions? It's actually kind of interesting: Caramelization oxidizes the sugar in the onion resulting in that caramel flavor and browning of the onion. Yum. Combine those onions with garlic and sauteé in olive oil and you've got some sweet aroma cooking in your kitchen!

Ok back to the gnocchi. I really liked how this gnocchi recipe turned out - the gnocchi itself has a soft, almost creamy texture and the thick tomato sauce compliments it nicely with its sweet flavor drawn from the dried basil, caramelized onion and of course the tomatoes.

Voila les ingrédients:

1 package Gnocchi

1 can crushed tomatoes

3 red tomatoes, cut into 1 inch pieces

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 onion, chopped

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (for those who can take this spicy hot stuff!)

2 teaspoons dried basil

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

1 teaspoon olive oil

A pinch of mozzarella cheese to sprinkle on top of the final product when served

A few fresh basil leaves for garnish

Step 1: Heat the oil in a non-stick pot, and sautée the onions and garlic in the oil for 7 to 10 minutes on medium heat until golden brown. I suggest to start with the onions and add the garlic in half way, as the garlic will brown faster. Note that I use a bit of vegetable oil and a bit of olive oil - this is because olive oil has a lower smoke point than vegetable oil, and thus will burn faster.

Step 2: Add in the tomatoes and all the spices and sautée for 5 minutes (Take a whif of the delicious smells at this point!)

Step 3: Add in the can of crushed tomatoes, DO NOT BOIL - i emphasize do not boil because for gnocchi you want a thick sauce, and thus once u add in the crushed tomatoes, just let the whole sauce mixture simmer, covered, on Low for 30 minutes.

Step 4: 5 minutes before the sauce is done, boil water in a large stainless pot and then add the gnocchi in the boiling water. When the gnocchi rises to the top (it takes about 3 minutes), drain and poor into the tomato sauce.

Step 5: Serve hot and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and garnish with basil leaves.

Bon appetit!! :)