Chef: Dean Schmideg
Course: Main meal
Servings: 8 people
While making your own gnocchi is wonderful, it’s a labour of love that not all of us have time for.
This warming winter dish makes the most of quality packet gnocchi which are not as pillowy and light as their fresh counterparts by frying them first to seal the outside adding texture and chewiness with a little parmesan added for extra flavour. Baking them further only serves to maximise their texture resulting in bronzed little nuggets of potato surrounded by a rich sauce fragrant with garlic and capsicum.
Burrata cheese adds a final layer of richness to a dish that is perfect for a weekday family meal with a simple green salad, but equally impressive for a dinner party with friends.
Ingredients
2 x 500g packets La Molisana potato gnocchi
1 x 700g bottle Le Conserve della Nonna tomato pasta sauce
4 large cloves garlic, finely sliced
250g Lonsdale Farm tomato medley
175g Flavorite baby capsicums, diced
125g That’s Amore burrata
6 tbsp fresh oregano, roughly chopped plus extra to serve
4 tbsp Mount Zero Frantoio extra virgin olive oil
6 tbsp Auricchio Parmigiano Reggiano plus extra to serve
Fresh or dried chilli (optional)
Fresh basil (optional)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 180 degrees fan forced and take burrata out of the fridge.
Heat oil in a large non-stick sauté pan and gently fry garlic and capsicum and chilli if desired for approx. five minutes or until soft.
Add the gnocchi and continue to fry until just starting to brown all over and then sprinkle over 3 tablespoons of the parmesan and allow to brown a little more, adding a touch of extra oil if necessary.
Transfer to an ovenproof dish or roasting pan and pour over sauce.
Add 1/2 cup of water to the bottle, shake to remove any remaining sauce and add to the dish with tomatoes and three tablespoons of the oregano.
Season with freshly ground black pepper, drizzle over a little more oil and top with the remaining parmesan. Put into the oven uncovered for 25-30mins until golden. If it looks like it’s drying out add another 1/2 cup boiling water to the dish.
Remove from the oven and break the burrata over the top and sprinkle with remaining oregano.
Serve gnocchi immediately with an extra grating of parmesan, a drizzle of olive oil and more oregano and chilli if you wish. Fresh basil is another option.
