Caramelized Gnocchi with Tomatoes and Mozzarella

• Vegetarian

• Produce

  • 1 cup Basil, packed fresh leaves
  • 1 Basil, fresh
  • 16 oz Cherry tomatoes
  • 2 cloves Garlic, fresh

• Pasta & Grains

  • 1 lb Potato gnocchi

• Baking & Spices

  • 1 Salt and pepper
  • 1/2 tsp Sugar

• Oils & Vinegars

  • 5 tbsp Olive oil

• Dairy

  • 1 12 or 16-oz tub Baby mozzarella
  • 2 tbsp Butter
  • 1 Parmesan

Found on thefoodcharlatan.com

Ingredients

• 16 ounces cherry tomatoes (buy 2 dry pints)
• 1 cup packed fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves of fresh garlic, thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound potato gnocchi, whole wheat or regular (or homemade, recipe here)
• 1 12 or 16-oz tub marinated baby mozzarella, drained*
• fresh basil, to garnish
• freshly grated parmesan, to serve (optional)

Directions

• Begin by chopping the tomatoes in half. (You will need about 1 1/2 boxes of tomatoes. No need to measure, just eyeball it.)
• Clean and de-stem the basil, then chop roughly.
• Pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a medium saucepan and set to medium heat. Slice the garlic thinly. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and saute until it has started to brown lightly, about 1 minute. Add the halved tomatoes (and any juice) and cook for 2 minutes.
• Add most of the basil, reserving a few tablespoons to garnish with.
• Add the sugar and season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, then turn the heat all the way down to low.
• Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, add the butter and 3 tablespoons of olive oil and turn the heat to medium. When the butter is melted and the oil is hot, add all the gnocchi. Stir with a wooden spoon to cover them with oil, then spread them out evenly so they are in one layer. Season with salt and pepper. Set a timer for 5 minutes and do not stir. You want the gnocchi to caramelize and get nice and brown. After 5 or 6 minutes (whenever they have browned), use a wooden spoon or spatula to flip each gnocchi to brown the other side. Cook for another 3-5 minutes until browned, stirring again if necessary. Remove from heat.
• Turn off the burner with the tomatoes. Add the drained mozzarella balls and stir. You want to heat up the mozzarella without melting them too much--they should retain their shape. (If the tomatoes are too hot, wait).
• You can either add the fried gnocchi to the pan with the tomatoes, or spoon the gnocchi onto each plate and top with tomatoes and mozzarella.
• Serve with a chopped basil leaves and grated Parmesan. Eat this with a big salad and some crusty bread.