Gnocchi Nicoise

Yikes, I've really got to polish my food photo skills!
I love gnocchi, but I especially love this recipe's take on the dish.
It is really hearty, so one bowl each will do.
The Pants also gave it a BIG thumbs up.
This recipe was taken from Food Network Magazine with a few adjustments.

Ps...I also love when a recipe calls for wine because I am forced to run around the wine aisle like a chicken with my head cut off looking for the right kind. Plus, it always catches me off guard when the clerk asks for my I.D.-it feels like I'm in trouble for something. Oh, and then the many adventures we've had trying to uncork the bottle with no corkscrew (imagine a drywall screw and a drill!)

Time: 45 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 slices bacon, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 large chorizo or Italian sausage (casing taken off)
• 2 tablespoons red wine
• 3 shallots, chopped
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 1 stalk celery, sliced
• 1 1/2 tablespoon tomato paste
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 carton plum or grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 1-inch strips lemon peel
• 2 tablespoons capers
• 2 packages (about 2 pounds) vacuum-packed gnocchi

Directions

Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and garlic; cook until the bacon starts to brown, about 4 minutes. Add the sausage; cook, stirring (breaking apart sausage), 3 minutes. Add the red wine, shallots, carrots, celery and tomato paste; cook until the vegetables soften, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Crush the tomatoes into the pan with your hands. Stir in the broth, bay leaf, lemon peel and capers. Bring to a simmer and lower the heat; cover and cook 20 minutes. Uncover, increase the heat and bring to a boil to thicken the sauce.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil the gnocchi until one floats to the top, about 1 minute. Drain immediately to prevent the gnocchi from becoming mushy. Remove the lemon peel and bay leaf from the sauce and season with salt and pepper. Toss the gnocchi with the sauce.