Ricotta Gnocchi with Bacon, Roast Tomato and Basil

Ingredients

• 300g punnet cherry tomatoes
• 250g truss tomatoes
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 500g Perfect Italiano™ Ricotta, drained in a sieve for 30 minutes to remove excess liquid
• ½ cup Perfect Italiano™ Parmesan, grated
• 1 egg
• 150g-200g plain flour
• 3 rashers bacon, chopped
• 30g butter
• ½ bunch basil leaves
• ½ cup Perfect Italiano™ Parmesan, shaved
• salt and pepper, to taste

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
2. Place the tomatoes onto a large baking tray lined with baking paper. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and place into the oven to roast for 20 minutes or until the tomatoes begin to collapse. Remove from the oven and set aside.
3. Place the ricotta, grated parmesan, egg and flour into a bowl and mix until combined. If the mixture feels too wet, add some more flour until you have a sticky dough that comes away from the sides of the bowl. Divide the mixture into 4, and roll each portion into thin lengths. Cut 2 cm size pieces from each length to form the gnocchi. Place the gnocchi onto a floured tray.
4. Fill a large pot with water, cover, and bring to the boil. Add one-quarter of the gnocchi and cook for 2-3 minutes or until they rise to the surface. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel. Repeat, in 3 more batches, with the remaining gnocchi.
5. Add 1 tbsp of olive oil into a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the bacon and fry until it begins to turn golden. Add half of the roasted tomatoes and squash with the back of a fork to form a sauce. Add the butter and stir until melted. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Add the cooked gnocchi to the sauce and stir gently to coat. Add the remaining tomatoes and serve with a scattering of basil and shaved parmesan.