Cauliflower Gnocchi with Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 batch cauliflower gnocchi, homemade or store-bought
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2/3 cup julienned sun-dried tomatoes, oil drained
• 1/2 cup unsalted vegetable stock
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano, plus more for garnish
• 1 tablespoon roughly chopped basil, plus more for garnish
• Black pepper for garnish
• 1/4 cup shaved Pecorino Romano cheese

Directions

1. Fill a medium pot with lightly salted water and bring it to a boil. While the water heats, start the sauce. Set a large sauté pan over medium-low heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. When the oil is warm, stir in the shallots and garlic, and cook until the shallots soften and everything smells fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of the sun-dried tomatoes and cook for 30 seconds. Pour in the vegetable stock, half-and-half, and sea salt, then stir everything together.
2. Increase the heat to medium-high. Let the sauce simmer, stirring now and then, until it has reduced and thickened, about 3 to 5 minutes. By now, the water should be boiling. Gently add the gnocchi and cook until they rise to the top, 3 minutes. Lift them out with a slotted spoon, letting the water drain off, and move them straight into the skillet with the sauce.
3. Add the cooked gnocchi, oregano, and basil to the sauce, and stir to coat. If the sauce still seems loose, keep it simmering for a few additional minutes, just until it coats the gnocchi.
4. Finish the gnocchi with black pepper, then scatter over the remaining sun-dried tomatoes, oregano, basil, and Pecorino Romano cheese.
5. Transfer any leftover gnocchi to an air-tight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat it in the microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring between each one.