As we barrel toward the end of February and the beginnings of spring, let's end things right with a glorious comfort food dish that can be on the table in under an hour with all day fussing in the kitchen energy. After a cold day accomplishing all the things, this dish hits the spot in a way few can and you'll be adding it to your go-to list for delighting all of your senses.
If you don't have time for roasting tomatoes, you can opt for a jarred roasted tomato sauce or, if you're like me, you can pull some garden roasted tomatoes from the freezer and add lightly sautéed garlic and some chili pepper flakes to the mix and continue with the rest of the recipe. It will save you some time, but if you're not using your own roasted tomatoes you will not get quite the flavor kick that comes with using the real deal. Also, once you pan fry gnocchi, you'll be finding ways to use that bit of kitchen magic again and again.
A light salad and/or garlic bread would pair nicely with this dish. On the other hand, if you opt for it as is, you can serve it in a bowl and curl up by a window with dinner and a glass of wine and watch Old Man Winter fuss himself into sleeping as the seasons change. Either sounds pretty nice, right?
Pan-Fried Gnocchi with Roasted Tomato Sauce
- 1 lb. plum tomatoes, quartered
- 1-2 garlic cloves, crushed and cut into coarse pieces
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dry chili pepper flakes
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon cooking fat of your choice
- 1 package (17.5 oz.) dried gnocchi
- ½ cup grated Italian cheese - I used a combination of Asiago and mozzarella
Preheat the oven to 450° F.
Place the tomato pieces in a large mixing bowl. Add the garlic, salt, and pepper. Drizzle a generous amount, 3-6 tablespoons, of quality extra virgin olive into the bowl; toss to coat.
Transfer the tomatoes to a baking sheet with a rim. Spread the tomatoes in one single layer, cut side up.
Roast in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until the tomatoes have collapsed to your desired doneness. Stir them together to break up the pieces.
While the tomatoes roast, heat the cooking fat of your choice (I used additional extra virgin olive oil, but bacon fat is also lovely) in a large, ovenproof sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the dried gnocchi, breaking it apart as you add it to the pan. Sauté, stirring often, until the gnocchi is browned on the outside, soft on the inside, and heated throughout.
Add the roasted tomatoes to the pan with the gnocchi and lower the heat to medium-low. Stir until well combined and heated through. Sprinkle the top evenly with the grated cheese and place the skillet under the broiler for 2-3 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve hot.
- Yields: 4-6 servings
- Preparation Time: 45 minutes