Ingredients:
1 tbs olive oil
2 onions, finely sliced
150g spicy chorizo, skin removed and diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 small fresh chilli, finely diced
2 tsp dried Italian herbs
2 tbs tomato paste
1 x 400g tin diced tomatoes
½ cup (125ml) fresh cream
500g potato gnocchi
¼ cup fresh basil, roughly torn
300g Fior di Latte mozzarella
Salt and pepper, to taste
Olive oil
Fresh basil, to garnish
Method:
Preheat oven to 200ºC.
Using a drizzle of olive oil, fry the sliced onions and chorizo over medium heat until soft and golden brown. Add the minced garlic, chilli and dried herbs, and cook for 2 minutes.
Add the tomato paste and cook for a few minutes until it turns a warm brick red colour and smells fragrant.
Add the tinned tomatoes and reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes, until the sauce has thickened slightly. Add the cream and season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat.
Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Add the gnocchi and cook according to package instructions. The gnocchi will be cooked once it starts floating on the surface. Do not overcook.
Drain the gnocchi and add it to the tomato sauce along with the fresh basil, and mix together.
Scatter over the roughly torn pieces of the fresh mozzarella.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until bubbling and golden brown.
Garnish with fresh basil and a sprinkle of salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Serve with crusty bread and a fresh green salad.
Serve with a glass of FAT bastard SHIRAZ - a perfect pairing. Sumptuous, smooth and spicy with an abundance of red fruit intertwined with notes of vanilla and freshly crushed black pepper aromas with touches of cloves and cinnamon, and a lingering silky finish.