Gnocchi with tomato sauce and fresh garden mint by Gregor Law
I have a strange relationship with gnocchi. When it’s on a menu or I’m offered it, I often decline in favour of another dish, thinking it’s a little heavy, or, more commonly, I don’t feel in the mood for it, yet when it’s served to me, I always love it. Go figure, as our American friends say.
It’s up there among my favourite food memories, though. It was the first meal I had on my first visit to Florence, and I adored it. Tired from the day’s long drive from the north of Italy, we arrived late in the day at our beautiful hotel ‘Villa Cora’ and simply ordered room service – and to this day it’s the best room service I have ever eaten, which is probably not that surprising really, given the location.
It’s a wonderful comfort food and serves as a fantastic vehicle of flavour. The mint, however, is the star in this dish – straight from the garden in June when it’s at its best, it elevates this simple tomato sauce into a meal fit to be served in any Florentine restaurant – or hotel room.
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INGREDENTS: Serves 2
Extra virgin olive oil
1⁄2 onion, finely chopped
1 x 400g tin of good- quality chopped tomatoes
2 tsp red wine vinegar
Sea salt
Ground tellicherry black pepper
1 packet of gnocchi or 300g of homemade gnocchi
Good handful of fresh mint leaves, shredded, but some left whole to finish the dish
METHOD
1 Warm the olive oil in a wide pan and gently fry off the onion until translucent and sweet.
2 Add the tomatoes and a little water and cook on a medium heat for 10 minutes.
3 Add half the shredded mint and continue to cook for 5 minutes.
4 Add the red wine vinegar and cook down for a further 5 minutes before adding the remaining shredded mint leaves. Check for seasoning and adjust as required.
5 Add a little olive oil and stir through. You are looking to create a sauce that is rich but not dry and has the glossy sheen that olive oil brings.
6 Set aside and keep warm to marry all the flavours together.
7 Cook the gnocchi in lightly salted boiling water until they float to the surface or according to your packet instructions.
8 Once ready, remove and drain and then add to the sauce. Return the sauce to the heat and stir everything through again gently to coat the gnocchi.
9 Serve in warmed pasta bowls and grind on a little freshly ground black pepper.
In association with Taste Communications, Scotland’s food and drink communications company www.tastecommunications.co.uk
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