Hello! Jessika here, your communications coordinator, or the person you might bump into at Les Truffettes tasting events. ☺️
I don't know about you, but since the end of August, my garden has been overflowing with ripe tomatoes! I took the opportunity to prepare a sauce base by boiling the diced tomatoes, skin and all, then adding a little water to adjust the consistency, along with some salt and sugar to reduce their acidity. Adding a splash of apple cider vinegar, cracked pepper, and paprika (for color) doesn't hurt either.
I let the mixture cool before blending everything, then put the sauce into jars. This can be frozen or canned using a safe and proven method.
With the arrival of the brand-new Appalachian truffle salt, I felt like cooking up some comforting pasta using my famous tomato sauce base. Here is my recipe!
Servings: 2 people Total preparation time: 15 minutes
INGREDIENTS
- 350 g gnocchi
- ½ cup tomato sauce base (or canned crushed tomatoes)
- ½ cup cooking cream (Belsoy-type cream works great too)
- Les Truffettes Appalachian truffle salt
- Cracked pepper
- Fresh herbs, to taste (basil, thyme, oregano, or even bee balm flowers)
- 1 tbsp sunflower, olive, or another neutral-tasting oil
- Local cheese, to grate upon serving*
*I chose the Tomme au cidre de pomme from the Les Dépendances creamery: perfectly seasonal!
PREPARATION
- Cook the gnocchi in boiling salted water for about 3 minutes.
- Drain and set aside, making sure to save ¼ cup of the cooking water.
- In a deep skillet, pour a drizzle of oil. Add the tomato sauce and bring to a simmer before stirring in the cream. Let it simmer slightly more, then reduce the heat.
- Add a few pinches of Appalachian truffle salt. Taste and adjust the seasoning with truffle salt, pepper, and a bit of crushed chili, for those who like it spicy.
- Add another drizzle of oil, increase heat to medium, and toss the gnocchi into the sauce. To achieve a smoother consistency, add the reserved cooking water. Readjust seasoning if needed.
- Add the chopped fresh herbs, mix well, and remove from heat.
- When serving, grate the local cheese over the gnocchi. A pinch of cracked pepper and truffle salt as a bonus? 😉 Even better, a drizzle of Appalachian truffle-flavored oil!
Bon appétit!
And I look forward to meeting you at a future event near you.
Jessika 🫶🏻
