Recipe Review - Bread Gnocchi

Yesterday, on Food Network, I was watching a Rachael Ray episode on making a meal from what's already in your pantry. I don't usually go out of my way to catch her show, but having such an erratic work schedule, this was something I could hopefully learn from in order to make lunch time and dinner time easier for my husband and me.

She made bread gnocchi with leftover Italian bread and other pantry ingredients. It looked so delicious, I decided to try it out for my husband and me for the football game today. It took no more than fifteen minutes to make, and was absolutely delicious - like a doughy, soft, hearty pizza with fresh basil, tomatoes and mozzarella cheese. I added sliced roast beef under the mozzarella, since my husband doesn't believe that a meat-less free meal qualifies as an actual meal. I'll definitely make it again, especially since we now have basil growing on our balcony!

Try it out -

Rachael Ray's Bread Gnocchi with Tomato and Basil

Ingredients

• 8 slices day old, good quality Italian bread
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 3 turns of the pan
• 2 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups (2-ounce cans) tomato sauce
• 3 small plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• Several fresh basil leaves, torn
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella, smoked mozzarella or provolone cheese

Directions

Preheat broiler.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Chop bread into bite size pieces. Add extra-virgin olive oil, butter and garlic to the skillet. Melt butter into oil then add the bread. Season the bread with salt and pepper. Toss and cook the bread 7 to 8 minutes then add the tomato sauce and fresh tomatoes. Turn to coat and warm the tomato sauce, 3 to 4 minutes.

Remove the bread gnocchi and tomatoes from heat and transfer to a casserole dish, top with basil then cover the dish with cheese. Place the casserole under the broiler and cook 2 to 3 minutes, until the cheese browns and bubbles. Serve immediately.

PS. Since I don't understand the rules of football, I think I'll make dessert instead.