Gnocchi in a Heirloom Tomato Cream Sauce with Fresh Mozzarella and Basil

This gnocchi tasted as good as a fancy Italian restaurant. It was great to serve for guests, since the sauce can be made in advance and gnocchi take only a few minutes to cook.

Gnocchi in Heirloom Tomato Cream Sauce
Serves 6

About one pound of heirloom tomatoes
2 packages 12 ounce packages of gnocchi
One half a cup of half and half
8 ounces small pearl mozzarella
1/4 of a white onion, diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
Fresh basil
Salt and cracked black pepper

1. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large pot. Cook onions 5 to 10 minutes, until translucent.
2. Cut larger tomatoes into chunks. Keep smaller tomatoes whole. Add tomatoes to pot.

3. Cook over medium heat for 30 minutes. Using potato masher, mash tomatoes. Scoop about half of tomato mixture into blender and blend until smooth. Leave other half of mixture in pot. Combine pureed tomatoes with pieces of tomatoes.
4. Add half and half to tomato sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook over low heat 15 minutes more.
5. Meanwhile, cook gnocchi.

6. Combine gnocchi and tomato cream sauce. Right before serving, add fresh mozzarella and top with basil.