Tomato and Basil Gnocchi

Gnocchi is one of those great back-up ingredients that it's really useful to keep in the cupboard. Of course it's great if you make it yourself, but I always have a pack of two of the ready made stuff in the dry stuffs cupboard as it usually has a good long shelf life. 

This simple but filling recipe is quick to make and the quantities here fed two of us nicely.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 Red Onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves of Garlic, finely chopped
• Half a Leek, sliced
• 1/2 tsp dried Oregano
• 1/2 tsp dried Basil
• 1 can Chopped Tomatoes
• 2 tbsp Green Pesto
• Handful of fresh Spinach leaves
• 1 pack Gnocchi
• 8 Green Olives, halved
• Fresh Basil leaves to garish if you have them

To begin, fill and boil a kettle of water ready for when you want to cook the gnocchi.

In a large frying pan over a medium heat, start to fry the onions and leeks. Its best not to cook these too fast or too hot as they add a nicer texture to the dish if the onions still have some firmness in them. After a few minutes add the garlic. 

Add in the can of chopped tomatoes and their juice, followed by the oregano and basil. Stir well and allow to heat through. Stir in the pesto, olives, and spinach, then rest over a low heat to gently simmer while you begin to do the gnocchi itself.

In a separate pan empty in the pack of gnocchi and pour over the boiling water from the kettle. Put on the hob, bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer. Gnocchi should only take a few minutes to cook and you'll tell when it's done as it will rise to the surface of the water. 

When the gnocchi has risen drain in a colander and shake off all the water.

Ladle some of the tomato sauce into two pasta dishes top with the gnocchi. Garnish with a few basil leaves if you have them to hand.