Gnocchi is a great side dish, but what about as the main dish? I wanted to rethink how I could make these delicious billowy cloud-like potato dumplings into something with a little more texture. I thought about changing the cooking process to a more Asian-style technique.
The traditional way to cook them is to drop them into boiling salted water. when they float to the surface they’re done.Β Β When you cook with Asian dumplings they’re sometimes pan-fried, first to give that crunchy exterior, then a splash of water is added, the lid is placed on, and they finish by steaming. This allows for the inside to have a creamy texture.
I decided to give this technique a try with gnocchi. For this challenge, rather than making the gnocchi from scratch, I decided to buy a good store-bought brand. It turns out, most grocery stores today carry fresh potato gnocchi so easy it’s easily available. This is my Pan Seared Gnocchi.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time Total: 12 minutes
Total Time: 17 minutes
Yields: 2 servings
Equipment: 2 (12-inch) sautΓ© pans, 1 tight-fitting glass lid, chef’s knife
Ingredients:
1 package of potato gnocchi
1/4 cup of orange bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
1/4 cup of red bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
1/4 cup of yellow bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
2 garlic cloves, freshly grated
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 stick of butter, unsalted
1 teaspoon of Kosher salt
1/2 a teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes (more if you like it spicy)
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, freshly grated (more if you like)
2 tablespoons of Italian flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped for garnish
Directions:
In a preheated sautΓ© pan over medium heat add olive oil. Add the finely diced bell peppers, stirring frequently, cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until peppers soften.Β Season with Kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Add in the grated garlic and continue cooking for another 1 to 2 minutes. Set aside.
This next stage goes pretty fast. In another large sautΓ© pan, over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the entire package of gnocchi to the pan. Brown the gnocchi on the one side for 2 to 3 minutes. Don’t disturb them. The gnocchi needs a chance to brown and caramelize. Once that happens, using a spatula, flip the gnocchi and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes on the other side.
Next, add the water. The gnocchi will start to steam. Immediately cover with a tight-fitting lid (preferably a glass lid). Once all the water evaporates about 2 minutes, remove the gnocchi from the heat.
Transfer the gnocchi to a large serving bowl. Add the sautΓ©ed peppers, toss to combine. Grate Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese over the top and garnish with Italian flat-leaf parsley. Serve hot. There you have it my Pan Seared Gnocchi.
Your comments are wanted and welcomed.