Gnocchi is a popular Italian dish. It is made out of potatoes and flour and is similar to a dumpling. It is delicious and easy to prepare. Usually it is cooked by boiling it for a few minutes, but I decided to try something different in this recipe. I am sure glad I did!! The gnocchi I used here are store bought.
(Stay tuned for my upcoming posts where I will show you how to make them from scratch.)
For the sauce you will need:
2 Tomatoes
2 Sweet red peppers
2 Small Onions
4 Cloves of Garlic
3 Tbsp of fresh chopped basil
1 Tablespoon of olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
In a blender, combine the tomatoes, red peppers and onions. Blend this until it's smooth. Then, in a medium pot, heat up the olive oil and add the chopped garlic. Cook until lightly browned and then add the tomato and pepper mixture. Add the basil. Stir and cook on medium heat for approximately 25-30 minutes.
Then:
1 Pkg of gluten-free gnocchi (I found mine at an Italian specialty store, but check your local health food store)
2 Tsp of butter
Melt the butter in a frying pan and add the package of gnocchi. Let it sear for a few minutes on one side until it's nicely browned, then do the same to the other side. Total cooking time of around 7-8 minutes.
Once the gnocchi is complete, pour the sauce on top and sprinkle some freshly grated
parmasan cheese.
Buon Appetito!!!
My mother-in-law and I came up with this recipe one day. We tweeked a recipe that she already had and came up with this really delicious treat. It has the consistency of a macaroon mixed with a merengue. It comes out very light and airy. It is a perfect way to satisfy your sweet tooth! The best part is it's gluten free!
You will need:
1 cup icing sugar
1/2 Cup of almond flour
1/2 Cup unsweetened coconut flakes
3 Tbsp bitter cocoa sifted
1/3 Cup egg whites
1/2 Tsp vanilla extract
1/3 Cup sugar
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees farenheit.
Mix icing sugar, almonds, coconut flakes and cocoa in a food processor until smooth or well mixed
In a bowl, beat the egg whites with vanilla extract until fluffy, about 5-7 minutes.
Once this is done, slowly and gradually add 1/3 cup of sugar and beat until stiff.
(You should be able to turn the bowl upside down without the mix falling out.)
Then, add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and beat until mixed well.
Let it sit, covered, for 30 minutes. This allows the batter to settle and thicken a bit.
After about 30 minutes, gradually put the batter in a piping bag, and shape into whatever shape you choose on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 16-18 mins.
Yields approx. 2 dozen cookies.
This morrocan-inspired rice tastes amazing! It is perfect for vegetarians because the almonds add a natural protein. In this recipe, I will also show you how to cook rice perfectly. It won't be to hard or too mushy. I have followed this method for many years and it always turns out just right!
2 Cups of Long grain rice
3 Cups of Water
1/4 Cup chopped roasted almonds
2 Red onions chopped
3 Cloves of crushed garlic
1 Carrot cubed
1 Medium-sized tomato
1/4 Cup of chopped fresh parsley
1 Cinnamon Stick
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon of saffron
1 Tablespoon of olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
To cook the rice: I use the ratio of 1 cup of rice to 1 and a half cups of water.
In a medium pot, add 2 cups of long grain white rice and 3 cups of water together. Then, mix in 1/4 teaspoon of saffron and cover and bring to a boil. Once it starts boiling, stir once, cover and cook on low heat until the rice has absorbed the water. This usually takes approximately 10 minutes. Once finished, uncover and gently fluff with a fork.
In the meantime:
In a large wok or frying pan, carmalize onions and garlic with the olive oil. Then, add the almonds, tomato, carrot and whole cinnamon stick and cook together until the carrot is slightly tender. Then, add the cooked rice, cardamom, and salt and pepper. Cook together for about 5 minutes or until the rice is completely saturated in the spices and well mixed.
Finish off with a splash of raw extra virgin olive oil. This dish makes a perfect companion to roasted garlic hummous or even eggplant salad. (See Spice Contessa's previous recipes)
Enjoy!!
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