Delicious mediterranean gnocchi salad

A few weeks ago I was going for dinner and wine at my friend’s Malena beautiful terrace. Having such good weather those days, I could only think about eating a nice salad. I ran into Pão e Queij’s Blog and I found this beautiful and different gnocchi salad that I adapted and cooked for dinner. If you already have baked potatoes from the day before, it only takes 30 minutes. While the red bell pepper is roasting in the oven you start preparing the gnocchis and get together all the salad ingredients.

Ingredients. Serves 4.

• 500 grs de baked potatoes
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1 egg
• 1 red bell-pepper
• 1 can artichokes
• 1/2 cup dried tomatoes
• 2 salad tomatoes
• 1/4 cup of basil
• 2 white sweet onions
• 2 tablespoons of green onions
• salt, freshly ground pepper, nutmeg and oregano

For the vinaigrette:

• 1 ripe tomato for grating
• red wine vinegar
• extra virgin olive oil
• 1 lime
• oregano
• 1 finely chopped garlic clove
• salt and freshly ground pepper

Preparation.

Lets start with the roasted red peppers:

1. Preheat the oven to 210ºC.
2. Roast the pepper cut in half facing downwards with some olive oil for 25 minutes aproximately.

While the peppers are roasting we will prepare the Gnocchis:

1. Boil water with some salt and olive oil.
2. Place the flour over a working surface.
3. Peel the potatoes and purée them over the flour.
4. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg.
5. Make a hole in the middle and break the egg.
6. Knead until the dough is not so humid but remains soft. You can add some more flour if you think it’s necessary. Do not overwork or the gnocchi will be heavy.
7. Divide the dough into 4 parts. On a lightly floured board form each into a roll about 3/4 inch in diameter. Cut the rolls crosswise into pieces about 3/4 inch long.
8. Mark with a fork.
9. Cook on boiling water. When the rise to the surface after 3-4 minuts the gnocchi are done.

We finish with the salad and vinaigrette:

1. Take out the skin of the roasted peppers and cut into rough squares.
2. Chop the sweet onions softly.
3. Chop finely the green onions.
4. Cut the tomatoes into squares.
5. Cut the dried tomatoes in not so small pieces.
6. Cut the artichokes in half.
7. Add the ingredients to a bowl.
8. Add the basil cut into juliennes at the end to avoid it from oxidizing.
9. Season with salt, pepper and oregano.

For the vinaigrette:

1. Cut the tomatoes in half and grate. Discard the skins. Add the garlic and rest of ingredients. Taste the salt and pepper. Add just before serving.

Delicious and exquisit!!!