Every week, our Pantry coordinator picks out a couple of ingredients from what’s come into West Somerset Food Cupboard and turns them into something simple and delicious.
Sun-dried tomatoes, a tin of chopped tomatoes and a pack of gnocchi come together into a warming, bubbling bake topped with melted mozzarella, comforting, filling, and simple enough for a weeknight.
Ingredients
- 50g sun-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped, plus 1 tbsp oil from the jar
- 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- Small bunch fresh basil
- 200g cherry tomatoes
- 1 tin (400g) chopped tomatoes
- 500g fresh gnocchi
- 150g mozzarella ball
- Salt and pepper
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200°C / 180°C fan / Gas 6. Heat the tablespoon of oil from the sun-dried tomato jar in a large, ovenproof frying pan over medium heat.
- Add the onion and fry for 3–4 minutes until it starts to soften. Stir in the garlic with a pinch of salt and cook for another minute.
- Strip the basil leaves from the stalks and set the leaves aside. Finely chop the stalks and add to the pan along with the sun-dried tomatoes. Fry for a further minute.
- Add the cherry tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes, then pour in the tinned tomatoes. Half-fill the empty tin with water, add to the pan, stir, and let everything simmer for 5 minutes.
- Roughly chop half the basil leaves and stir them through the sauce along with the gnocchi. Season with salt and pepper.
- Tear the mozzarella into large chunks and scatter over the top. Bake for 20–25 minutes, until the mozzarella is melted and golden and the gnocchi is tender.
- Bring straight to the table and scatter over the remaining whole basil leaves. Great served with focaccia or garlic bread for dipping.
Tips
- If the tomatoes taste a little sharp, stir in a teaspoon of honey or a pinch of sugar before adding the gnocchi.
- No fresh basil? Dried herbs work just as well.
- Cooked sausages are a tasty addition, stirred through or served alongside.
Made with ingredients from this week’s Pantry at West Somerset Food Cupboard. Follow us on Facebook for more Cupboard to Kitchen recipes.
