Grilliant Gnocchetti!

Gnocchetti Sardi con Funghi alla Griglia, Pomodori Secchi e Origano

Sardinian Gnocchi with Grilled Mushrooms, Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Oregano

Ok, just to set the record straight- this is not a rant! But I have to say that if there is one thing that drives me crazy in the Summer, it is those totally lacking in imagination pasta salads... drenched in mayonnaise, stodgy, unhealthy and totally boring! Ugh!!!

People get so excited about grilling, it is kind-of a shame that they often lack in any kind of originality. Sure, it is legitimate to say that you know what you like, blah, blah, yaddah, yaddah... but life is just too short to be eating the same thing over and over!

Next time you turn on your grill, you might want to consider making a pasta dish like this one. It's easier, lighter by far and much tastier than most and is done in the time it takes for the pasta to boil... that's right- in less than 10 minutes you can be chowing down in style- let me tell you just how easy it is!

Bring your noodle water to the boil, add plenty of salt and cook the gnocchetti for 7-8 minutes until tender. Brush the mushrooms clean or rub them off with kitchen towel if they have any soil or dirt on them. Pour a very small amount of olive oil into a dish and lightly coat the mushrooms before placing them onto a very hot grill or failing that, on  a griddle pan.

Let the mushrooms be for at least 3-4 minutes before flipping them, so that you are sure to get some nice scorch marks on them. Flip them over and make sure to get the mushrooms brown on all sides- that's all good flavor!

After 5-6 minutes, rub a little olive oil onto the Spring onion, which you can go ahead and split in half length ways to make it more pleasant to eat. 2-3 minutes would be more then enough to get the onion, golden and caramelized.

When the pasta is finished, slice a sun-dried tomato or two into strips and add them into the saucepan. Let them soak for a minute or so and then drain the pasta and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Add the mushrooms and onion and season with salt, pepper, nutmeg and a little lemon juice. scatter generously with fresh oregano. I would say that cheese is an option with this dish and I preferred to enjoy mine without... all I needed was a nice glass of white Corvo and I was ready to go! See- I told you it was easier and tastier! Hope you try it out and hope you enjoy it too!