Ricotta Gnocchi. And Then Cream of Tomato Soup!

It REALLY peeves me that the plate is messy, so, so much.. but regardless this meal was a hit! 

Once I'd dished everyone's up, I started a quick tidy up but I ended up having to guard my bowl! My husband woofed his down and was on the prowl for more! He even tried to take one of the gnocchi before I'd had a chance to cook them!  After we finished the meal - which was quite light and could be reduced in size for an easy entree - I could see my 6 year old's eyes darting around for what was next to come... Um nothing I'm afraid! Until I decided not to store the leftover tomato sauce for spaghetti but to add a splash of cream, some leftover basil and give it a blitz.
YUM! Mr 6 had two more bowls of cream of tomato soup!


This recipe comes from Dani Valent's IN THE MIX 2. A really awesome thermo cookbook!



Gnocchi
100g frozen bread in chunks
100g parmesan in cubes
peeled zest of 1/2 lemon
handful of basil and oregano leaves or other herbs of your choosing (I used parsley)
1 tsp of salt
250g ricotta (I made my own as part of this recipe, here is the link)

                                      

Place everything but the ricotta in the bowl and blitz 10 secs on speed 9

Add the ricotta and mix 15 secs on speed 3

Using wet hands (or trusty kitchen gloves) roll /squeeze the mixture into walnut sized balls. Then arrange them in the varoma dish and tray if they don't all fit.

My balls were a little big...and uneven...

Sauce
1 onion peeled and cut in half
2 cloves of garlic peeled
30g olive oil
1x 400g tin tomatoes
300g passata
1 TB vegetable stock paste 
pepper to taste

Chop onion and garlic in bowl 2 secs on speed 5. Scrape down the side and add the oil. Cook for 4 mins at 100 degrees on speed 1. add the tomatoes, passata, stock paste, pepper and 100g water. Cook 5 mins at varoma on speed 2. Place the varoma with the gnocchi in place and steam for 10 mins at varoma on speed 2. DONE! Just like that!

Bit of a messy plate but regardless....DELIZIOSO!