Every so often, you discover a technique in the kitchen that changes the game. This pan fried gnocchi recipe takes a bland, beige lump and transforms it in to a showstopper.
The gorgeous potato dumplings gain a golden brown, crispy jacket that carries all the flavour that is built up in the pan. I’m taking full advantage of that flavour carrying potential and marrying it up with everything that is fabulous about Italian cuisine.
Gnocchi, sausage, garlic, olives, tomato, basil and mozzarella. All in one pot, all in 15 minutes.
I have to say, I’ve eaten a LOT of gnocchi this week to test this recipe and get it polished up for you. The first iteration involved 2 pans, 3 spoons, 2 knives, a chopping board, a pair of scissors and tin foil. Nuts. I had created the most amazing flavour but I looked around me at the mess in the kitchen and knew it all had to change. So I jumped in and did it all again, stripping it down to what you need.
You’ll need 15 minutes, 1 pan, 1 spoon, 1 knife, and 1 garlic crushing/grating device- I choose a microplane.
I made sure everything could easily be cut straight in to the pan so that there’s not even a chopping board to wash. See, I’m thinking of you here. We all love tasty, quick, weeknight meals but washing up lovers are few and far between.
I love using sausage meat in recipes like this because it is so easy to cook and the seasoning that’s already in the mince does the hard work for you. I used it back in one of my earliest recipes, baked penne topped with sausage and focaccia croutons, and it went down a storm so I hope you like it here too.
This one pot gnocchi doesn’t have much sauce, which I feel I need to explain. See, all it needs is something to lift up all that flavour from the pan and wrap it around the crispy gnocchi. I didn’t want to lose that texture. There is some sauce, but it isn’t saucy. Make sense?
If you’ve only ever had boiled gnocchi, I beg you to try this.
- 200g Sausage meat (approx 3 sausages)
- 1 Clove garlic, minced
- 500g Gnocchi
- 1 Handful baby plum tomatoes, halved
- 50g Pitted black olives
- 1 Tbsp Tomato puree
- 2 Tbsp Mascarpone
- 1 Tbsp Water
- 1 Tsp Chilli flakes
- 125g Mozzarella
- A few sprigs of basil leaves
- Olive oil to dress
- Heat a large frying pan or skillet over a medium burner and add a tablespoon of oil.
- Score the sausages length ways with a knife to easily remove the casings and add the sausage meat to the pan.
- Fry until beginning to brown, breaking in to small pieces with a spoon or spatula.
- Turn the heat up to high. Add the gnocchi, tomatoes and garlic stirring regularly.
- Cook for approximately 8 minutes or until the gnocchi has softened and the outsides are a light golden brown.
- Turn the heat down to low.
- Slice the olives in to the pan then add the tomato puree, mascarpone, water and chilli flakes.
- Stir until well combined and season with plenty of salt and pepper.
- Take off the heat. Tear the mozzarella and basil leaves and toss them in to the pan.
- Spoon in to bowls and dress with a drizzle of olive oil.
- Serve.
This tastes really good reheated the next day but it’s best straight from the pan when the outside of the gnocchi is crisp.
Other one pot meals: Cajun chicken bake, pancetta and butternut skillet, pesto and creme fraiche chicken.
Fran @ A Thing for Life says
Ohhh… This looks very yummy!! I don’t like olives in general, but this is something I would definitely eat and enjoy.
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Sarah says
Amazing so tasty!