Misophonia revisited

I first discovered there is a scientific explanation for the irritation I feel when I hear certain sounds back in 2017 when Cassie sent me a Science News article entitled "If chewing sounds irk you, blame your brain." This came up again in a very good science fiction novel I just finished, Beautyland by Marie-Helene Bertino. 

 

The protagonist, Adina, is an alien life form sent to Earth to "take notes" on human beings (which, in a nice touch, she sends home using a fax machine) to see if her species can move here from their dying planet. Like me, Adina has a problem with various sounds. For example, she doesn't like going to the movies because the sound of all that popcorn chewing is cacophonous to her. She thinks it has to do with being an alien, until, after about 40 years on Earth, she visits a doctor to have her hearing checked. The doctor tells Adina

there’s a word for her aversion to sound. Misophonia. That the condition had been maligned for many years but has recently become slightly less maligned. “People report feeling rage when their loved ones clear their throats or eat. The clicking of a pen can launch them into fits of impassioned yelling. Some have berated strangers.”

Throat clearing, eating, pen clicking.

 

Check, check, and check on my list.

 

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Mom encouraged me to go with this name for the recipe below, because the main veggie ingredients — cherry tomatoes, zucchini, and bell pepper — all came from the farmer's market. That's in stark contrast to the other main ingredient, which is shelf-stable gnocchi from Trader Joe's (most groceries should have them).

 

Pan frying gnocchi, as opposed to the usual method of boiling them in water just until they float, seems to be a bit of a rage right now, with many people raving about the contrast between the crispy exterior and the chewy interior. I'm not completely convinced, and the shelf-stable gnocchi will never approach homemade, which is one of our favorite meals ever. Still, this is a pretty easy dinner, and the sauce made out of the fresh veggies is super tasty. If the shelf-stable gnocchi aren't your thing, you could easily make just the sauce and mix that with some other kind of pasta for a good meal. 

 

 

Farmer’s Market Pan-Fried Gnocchi

Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated (Sept/Oct 2025)

Time: ~40 minutes

1 pound (454 grams) shelf-stable gnocchi
80 grams (6 tablespoons) extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for serving
1 small onion, halved and sliced thin
4 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1 pound (454 grams) cherry or grape tomatoes, left whole
225 grams (1 medium) zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced ½-inch thick
1 green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
45 grams (⅓ cup) feta cheese, crumbled
Basil chiffonade

    1. Separate the gnocchi and place them in a 12-inch nonstick skillet, then drizzle  evenly with the oil. Place the skillet over medium-high heat and cook, without stirring, until the gnocchi are well browned on the first side, about 5 to 8 minutes. Stir the gnocchi and continue to cook until they're mostly crisp on both sides, another 1 to 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate, leaving as much of the oil as possible in the skillet.
    2. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion to the hot oil and cook, stirring occasionally, until softening, about 3 minutes.
    3. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds.
    4. Stir in the tomatoes, zucchini, bell pepper, salt, oregano, and pepper. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the tomatoes have burst and the zucchini and bell pepper are just tender, 6 to 8 minutes. 
    5. Uncover and continue to cook, while gently pressing the tomatoes with the back of a wooden spoon until they’ve all burst, until the sauce is thickened, about 1 to 2 minutes.
    6. Remove from the heat. Stir in the gnocchi. Serve promptly, garnished with feta, basil, and a drizzle of oil. Serves 4.