Pan-fried gnocchi with spinach roasted pepper cream sauce; pan-fried gnocchi with burst cherry tomato sauce

I was more suggestible to this recipe for pan-fried gnocchi after the relatively recent revelation of sheet pan gnocchi. Both have the advantage of a one-pan outcome, and both are fast weeknight fixes that draw on your pantry. The one advantage to the skillet method is slightly more flexibility in your sauce. With a sheet pan you need something roasting with the gnocchi to impart some liquid in addition to the oil; here the oil or butter is doing that lubrication work for you.Then you can add whatever topping strikes your fancy. Either way, I wonder why I wasted time cooking gnocchi in a separate pan all those years.

Golden gnocchi with fresh spinach
Adapted from Beth Dooley, as published in the Star Tribune

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil or butter, or a mix
1 pound shelf-stable or refrigerated gnocchi
1 leek, white and light green parts only, washed
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice
½ cup roasted red peppers, sliced into strips
½ cup cream
2 cups fresh spinach leaves
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan, plus more for garnish
1 tablespoon fresh basil leaves for optional garnish

Method
Heat oil or butter in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Spread gnocchi in a single layer in the bottom of the skillet. Cover and cook until golden on one side and then flip to the other until they pick up a touch of browning. Stir often so they don’t stick. Slice leek in half lengthwise and then into half moons. Add leek and garlic and cook until tender. Add lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste, roasted peppers and cream. Stir in spinach and cook until it wilts. Stir in Parmesan and serve, topped with Parmesan and basil, if desired.

Rating: This works quite well. I've tried it with red onions in place of the leeks, but definitely like it better with what the leeks bring to the party. I had tossed in some roasted peppers for color, and think that's a definite plus, both in terms of color, texture and flavor.

 

 

After trying the recipe above, I started experimenting some more. This one is also among my favorite variations of the basic approach. But it doesn't have to be complicated. Simply tossing the browned gnocchi with a good pesto and some Parmesan works too.

Gnocchi with burst tomato sauce

Ingredients
2 tablespoon butter or olive oil, or a mix
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 pound shelf-stable or refrigerated gnocchi
1 pint cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons roasted garlic cloves
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves
⅓ cup olive brine or other briny liquid (or 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar)
Parmesan for garnish

Method
Heat oil or butter in a large deep skillet along with crushed red pepper flakes on medium heat. Add gnocchi in a single layer. Cover and cook until browned on one side. Flip over and brown on the other side. Add garlic, tomatoes and rosemary along with a generous pinch of coarse salt. Cover and cut until tomatoes are about to burst. Add brine and cook uncovered until a sauce forms, stirring often to prevent gnocchi from sticking. Serve garnished with Parmesan.

Rating: Very hearty, and bright flavors. 

Note: I pretty much always have some sort of remnant brine on hand, either from olives from the deli or pickles I put up the previous year. But if that's not you, I think a generous splash of red wine vinegar would do as well. Or broth or whatever liquid you have that imparts a deep, savory flavor. And yes, I keep roasted garlic around at hand, sometimes my own effort, but often just from the obliging deli. So basically, take what's plausible in your fridge and toss it in with pan-browned gnocchi and call it supper.