Tomato and Artichoke Gnocchi

I went to a fun Thai restaurant yesterday.  The restaurant doesn't have a set menu.

Each person pays a set amount, and they serve you whatever they made that day.  They served us multiple  dishes.

We have a couple appetizers, a few curries, a noodles dish, and sticky rice.  There were a couple of dishes I had never tried before but were delicious.

It was located in a town house and had a cosy, homey atmosphere.  I really enjoyed the overall experience.

I had another good dinning experience a couple of weeks ago.  A friend recommended a Laotian restaurant.  I had never had Laotian food before then.  They food was really tasty.

I made this hearty dish a few weeks ago.  It was flavorful.

I found this tomato and artichoke gnocchi recipe on a website called Eating Well.  I used fresh basil instead of fresh oregano.  I added dried oregano.  I also used balsamic vinegar instead of red-wine vinegar.

The ingredients are 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 16 ounces gnocchi, 1 small onion, 1 small red bell pepper, 4 large garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon fresh basil, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 15 ounces canned chickpeas, 14 ounces  caned diced tomatoes, 9 ounces frozen artichoke hearts, 20 Kalamata olives, 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar and 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper.

I added one tablespoon of the olive oil to a skillet.  I browned the gnocchi over medium-high heat for about five minutes. 

After five minutes, I set the gnocchi aside in another bowl.  I added the remaining tablespoon of extra-virign olive oil.  I chopped the onion and added it to the pan.  I cooked the onion for 3 to 4 minutes.

I added the chopped bell pepper and cooked the mixture for another 3 minutes.

I added the garlic, dried oregano, and fresh basil.  I cooked this for about a minute.

I added the gnocchi, artichoke heart, tomatoes, onion and bell pepper mixture, and chickpeas into a pot.  I cooked the dish for about five minutes.  I stirred occasionally.

I added the balsamic vinegar, chopped Kalamata olives, pepper, and salt.

I stirred the ingredients together and then dug in.  

This was a flavorful dish.  It had a toothsome, Mediterranean flavor.  

It had sweet and acidic tomatoes, creamy chickpeas, and briny Kalamata olives.

The gnocchi was chewy and plump.  Some of the edges were a little crispy and brown.

The herbs added brightness and freshness.

It was a hearty and filling meal as well.

Overall, it was a satisfying and delicious dish.  I would make it again.