Seared Bread Gnocchi with Blistered Summer Tomatoes

Introduction

Benvenuti. As the August heat lingers over the Tuscan hills, my garden is heavy with the scent of sun-baked earth and ripening datterini. Today, we honor the 'cucina povera' tradition of wasting nothing by transforming day-old sourdough into golden, seared pillows. This dish is a seared adventure—taking humble bread gnocchi and charring them alongside the sweetest tomatoes of the season. It is simple, honest, and tastes of the sun.

Ingredients

• 300g stale sourdough bread, crusts removed and cubed
• 200ml warm unsweetened oat or almond milk
• 120g Type 00 flour, plus extra for dusting
• 500g ripe cherry datterini tomatoes
• 4 tablespoons high-quality extra virgin olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, smashed but left whole
• 1 small handful of fresh wild fennel or basil leaves
• Fine sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Place the stale bread cubes in a large bowl and pour the warm plant milk over them, soaking for about 15 minutes until soft.
2. Squeeze the soaked bread firmly with your hands to remove as much liquid as possible, then mash the bread into a uniform paste.
3. Gradually incorporate the flour into the bread paste, kneading lightly until a soft, workable dough forms that no longer sticks to your hands.
4. Roll the dough into long ropes about 2cm thick on a lightly floured surface, then cut into bite-sized gnocchi.
5. Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy-bottomed or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.
6. Add the gnocchi in a single layer, searing them until a deep golden crust forms on both sides, then remove and set aside.
7. In the same pan, add the remaining oil, the smashed garlic, and the whole cherry tomatoes.
8. Sear the tomatoes undisturbed for 3-4 minutes until the skins blister and char, then toss gently until they begin to burst.
9. Return the seared gnocchi to the pan, tossing them with the tomatoes and their juices.
10. Remove the garlic, season generously with salt and pepper, and finish with fresh fennel or basil and a final drizzle of raw olive oil.

Serve this while the gnocchi are still crisp from the pan. It needs nothing more than a glass of chilled red wine and the company of good friends. In my kitchen, we say that the best ingredients are the ones that have felt the sun. Buon appetito!

Isabella