Gnocchi Bake with Red Onions and Pancetta

I thought I would forgo the obvious, ie tomato sauce, but once I found this recipe I was sold. Homemade gnocchi has been on my to-do list for quite some time now and hey, it does have "red" onions!  Look on my blog for the easy gnocchi recipe and directions!  Thanks for the challenge!

Gnocchi Bake with red onions and pancetta

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 ounces pancetta, cubed

1 red onion, peeled and finely diced

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 cup chopped tomato (I used one cup of canned diced tomato)

3 tablespoons sun dried tomato paste (sadly lacking in my area so I used regular tomato paste)

1 cup mascarpone cheese

1 lb fresh gnocchi

8 -10  fresh basil leaves, finely chopped

2 cups grated mozzarella cheese (Which I thought was way overkill so I use maybe 3/4 cup)

1/3 cup white breadcrumbs  (again, I thought this was a bit much so just used a couple tablespoons)

Directions:

1. 1 Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C.
2. 2 Heat the oil in a skillet and add the pancetta. Cook over a medium heat, stirring frequently, for 1 minute.
3. 3 Add the red onion and garlic and cook, stirring, for a further 5 minutes, or until the pancetta is cooked and the onion softened.
4. 4 Stir in the chopped tomatoes, sun-dried tomato paste, and mascarpone cheese. Simmer over a low heat for 5 minutes.
5. 5 Meanwhile, cook the gnocchi for 1-2 minutes, until they rise to the surface. Do not overcook.
6. 6 Drain the gnocchi thoroughly and place in a large ovenproof dish (My 9-inch square pyrex worked perfectly).
7. 7 Add the chopped basil to the pancetta sauce mixture and stir. Pour the sauce over the gnocchi and toss gently to coat it.
8. 8 Combine the grated cheese with the breadcrumbs and scatter over the gnocchi.
9. 9 Cook in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until golden and bubbling.
10. 10 Serve hot and enjoy!