Baked Gnocchi with Carmelised Onions and Cheddar

Last weekend M and I had some friends over for dinner. I wanted to have as much of the meal prepared in advance as possible. No one wants the stress of having people there and yet having to rush off to the kitchen to chop or stir or whatever. A leisurely evening is much more pleasant.

For the side dish, I made baked gnocchi with carmelised onions and cheddar. In the afternoon, I carmelised the onions and put the dish together. Then, as we were eating the first course, all I had to do was turn the oven on.

I used to make this dish often for two friends when I lived in another city. It’s so simple but for whatever reason it appealed to them. Since moving to the city where I live now, I think I have only made it once before. That’s because it always makes me think of those two friends and now that it’s been over half a year since I’ve seen them and since they don’t seem to want to keep the friendship up much anymore, the dish has become imbued with sad memories. However, I decided to make it over the weekend as a way of creating positive new memories associated with the dish. It’s amazing how just the sight or smell or even thought of a particular recipe can bring up such powerful feelings. I miss those friends a lot, but it was nice to see these new friends eating this dish. I felt less sad then.

Ingredients:
2 red onions
oil
sugar
2 packages gnocchi
100 g cheddar

Instructions:
1. Peel and dice the onions. Sweat them in oil, then add sugar. Carmelise the onions.
2. Oil an oven-safe dish. Add one package of gnocchi, then mix in half the onions.
3. Chop the cheddar and sprinkle half of it over the gnocchi.
4. Add the other package of gnocchi and mix in the rest of the onions and cheese.
5. Bake at 200 C for about 30 minutes, stirring once about halfway through.