Tomato and basil gnocchi

I have never eaten let alone made gnocchi, but when a recipe promises a delicious meal in twenty minutes I am willing to risk making a total flop for dinner.

Gnocchi is basically potato dumplings. It is an extremely versatile ingredient and one I will certainly be experimenting with in the future. Here's a basic recipe to get you started.

Tomato and basil gnocchi
Serves 4-6 people

2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion
2 cloves of garlic
2 cans of whole peeled tomatoes
250 ml cream
handful of basil leaves, roughly chopped
1 vegetable stock cube
500 g fresh potato gnocchi
100 g Parmesan cheese, grated
whole basil leaves for garnishing

Preheat oven to 180 degrees.

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until they are translucent and soft. Add the tomatoes and roughly chopped basil leaves. Dissolve the stock cube in a bit of boiled water and add to the sauce. Let the sauce simmer until it starts to thicken. Turn it off when it reaches a consistency which is not too thick but not too runny. I went at my sauce with a masher because I didn't want any large chunks of tomato in it, but you can leave it as it is.

The gnocchi is cooked the same way you would cook regular pasta only in a much shorter time. It is done as soon as the balls float to the top of the boiling water. My gnocchi was ready in 3 minutes. Remove it from the water and add it to your sauce once the sauce has thickened enough.

Put the mixture in a baking dish. Top with the Parmesan and bake for 20 minutes. Remember to leave some Parmesan to sprinkle on top before serving. Garnish with a few basil leaves and prepare yourself for all the yummy sounds you will inevitably be hearing throughout the meal.