baked gnocchi with tomato, spinach & mozzarella

 

Quantity-wise this dish doesn't look huge, but that's very deceiving as this is an immensely filling meal thanks to the combination of gnocchi and the richness of chorizo and mozzarella cheese.

 

gratifying grub (category)
01 (fuss level)

ingredients

 

2 4 6 8 Servings

• 1 ball mozzarella cheese

• 50 grams chorizo sausage

• 2 garlic cloves

• 5 medium tomatoes

• 100 grams baby spinach

• 0.5 bunch basil leaves

• 250 grams gnocchi

• 10 black olives, pitted

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 splash of worcestershire sauce

implements

 

for cooking 2 servings

• large saucepan

• deep pan / wok

• pyrex dish

• colander

• 2 oven proof dishes

• garlic crusher

instructions

 

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180C.

2. Boil water in the large pan. Add salt and cook 250g of gnocchi for 5-6 minutes, then take it off the heat.

3. Meanwhile, chop the chorizo sausage into small pieces and crush 2 cloves of garlic.

4. In the deep pan heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the chorizo and garlic. Saute for a couple of minutes allowing the chorizo to release its flavour.

5. While thats cooking, roughly chop 5 tomatoes and halve 10 black olives. Add them to the chorizo and cook for another 3 minutes until the tomatoes have softened.

6. Tear the 1/2 bunch of fresh basil leaves (saving a few leaves for decoration) and add together with 100g of spinach into the pan with the tomatoes. Season well and cook for a couple of minutes, until the spinach starts to wilt.

7. Cut the mozzarella ball into medium thick slices (try to get 7-8 from
the ball).

8. Drain the gnocchi and place in the oven proof dishes. Cover them with the tomatoes / spinach mixture and arrange mozzarella slices on top. Splash a few drops of Worcestershire sauce and place in the oven for 12-13 minutes until the top has gone slightly brown and the dish is bubbly.

To serve - Place the oven proof dishes on another plate and decorate with a few basil leaves.