‘Nduja and tomato confit gnocchi sardi with pangrattato
This tomatoey-gnocchi sardi is made by slowly cooking tomatoes in olive oil until they are unctuously soft and flavourful, and then stirring them through with spicy ‘nduja. We’ve used perfectly al dente Garofalo gnocchi sardi for this dish.
Ingredients
400g of tomatoes
5 sprigs of thyme
1 garlic bulb, cut in half
400ml of olive oil, plus more as needed
1 red onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
40g of 'nduja
200ml of red wine
100ml of beef stock
1 bay leaf
1 dash of double cream
salt and pepper
Preparation
- 1
- Begin by making the confit tomatoes. First preheat the oven to 150°C
- 2
- Add the tomatoes, three sprigs of thyme, the halved garlic bulb, olive oil, salt and pepper to a baking tray and roast for 45 minutes, or until the tomatoes are very soft and tender
- 3
- Meanwhile, add a dash of olive oil to a large saucepan and sweat down the onions and garlic cloves over a medium low heat for 10–15 minutes, or until softened
- 4
- Add in the ‘nduja and use a wooden spoon to break it down until you can stir it through the onion base
- 5
- Add in the red wine, then turn up the heat and let it reduce by around half
- 6
- Turn the heat back down to medium low, then add in the confit tomatoes – without the oil – beef stock, two sprigs of thyme and the bay leaf
- 7
- Season with salt and pepper then turn down to very low and leave the sauce to simmer while you prepare the pangrattato
- 8
- Heat the olive oil in a frying pan, then add the breadcrumbs, parsley, salt and pepper
- 9
- Cook the breadcrumbs, stirring frequently, until golden and toasted, then set aside until serving
- 10
- Next prepare the basil oil. Blend together the basil and the olive oil for around 30 seconds. Cook out the blended basil oil over a medium-low heat until the basil solids separate from the oil, then strain it through a cheesecloth. Set the oil aside while you cook the pasta
- 11
- Add the gnocchi sardi to a pot of simmering salted water and cook as per the package instructions until al dente
- 12
- Once the gnocchi sardi has cooked, drain it, making sure to reserve a small bowl of the pasta cooking water, then add all of the pasta to the tomato sauce
- 13
- Stir together the pasta, a splash or so of the pasta water and the splash of double cream over a medium heat. Simmer until the sauce has thickened and reduced slightly
- 14
- Taste and season with salt and pepper, then spoon into serving bowls. Top with the crispy pangrattato, basil oil, parmesan shavings, lemon zest and fresh parsley
