15.07.08: Gnocchi with fresh tomato sauce and courgette strands

In the ongoing quest to reduce wheat while yet employing effective sauce transport, She got Him to pick up some spinach, carrot and potato gnocchi from Waitrose and then boiled it up. Roasted peppers and portobello mushrooms, lots of fresh tomatoes, a few splashes of red wine, and a big handful of basil leaves cooked down into a sauce, while she julienned the the courgette with the KTOTY* and fried up the delicate strands on high heat to make a Ramsay-esque topping. Salad of avo, physalis and leaves looked on.

SHE SAYS: This had an understated roasty flavour that perfectly suited my appetite on a night warmer than usual, but. But but but. I'm not convinced that the elbow grease I put into fresh sauces like this is worthwhile when Lloyd's sauces are just as good. (Sad, but true.) My courgette topping was good - courgettes in the UK generally lack flavour, and even this good performance was not great - but next time I would try using peanut oil to have a better chance at crisping them.

HE SAYS: No knead to knock the gnocchi, it was yum. The sauce waz flavourful but subtle in taste compared to the off-the-shelf jar. I was tempted to lunge for the hot sauce but paused and contemplated enjoying the softer palette-pleasing attributes of the sauce á naturale, which I proceeded to do with gusto. I was pleased I abstained, the tomatoes were especially sweet and tangy. The salad tried to compete with its inclusion of physalis in the tomato-esque taste stakes and did well but perhaps not enough to deserve a photo finish...still, we obliged.

*KTOTY - kitchen tool of the year