Spicy tomato crispy gnocchi with garlic panko crumbs

It’s a texture party! Crispy gnocchi, duh. Spicy tomato sauce, obviously. Garlic-y bread crumbs, yum.

This dish was made with an easy, elevated dinner concept in mind. I wanted it to be something that you would make. After work, over the weekend washed down with a glass of wine or on a late Sunday afternoon in your comfiest clothes.

The dish is easy. Toast the breadcrumbs. Crisp the gnocchi. Make the tomato sauce in one pan. Actually, everything is in the same pan. The tomato sauce is last because it’s the messiest. Not you though, you’re not messy.

Ingredients:

Garlic panko crumbs:

1 cup panko bread crumbs

1 tbsp olive oil

1 garlic clove grated

pinch of rosemary/or plain flakey salt

Crispy gnocchi:

500g gnocchi

2 tbsp olive oil

heavy pinch of cooking salt

Spicy tomato sauce:

2 tbsp olive oil

1 shallot, sliced

1 garlic clove, sliced

1 can finely diced tomato, 400g

1/2 tsp red chilli flakes

1 tbsp calabrian chillies in olive oil

pinch of flakey salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Bring a medium pot of water to a hard boil. Add a heavy pinch of cooking salt and drop in gnocchi. Boil for 2 mins and set off to the side. Drizzle in 1 tbsp of olive oil and stir through to prevent them sticking together.

In a pan over medium heat, toast panko bread crumbs with olive oil and salt until light golden brown. Right before taking off the heat, grate in 1 garlic clove and toast for 1-2 mins. Remove from the pan, set to the side and let cool.

Briefly clean off the pan of any leftover crumbs and add 1 tbsp of olive oil and the gnocchi. Spread to make sure they’re not on top of each other and let them crisp up on each side for about 5 mins over medium-low heat. If they’re sticking to the pan, they’re not done crisping up yet. Once crispy and light golden on both sides, remove from the pan, set to the side and let cool.

Again, use the same pan but briefly clean it off. Saute the shallot and garlic with olive oil until aromatic and lightly coloured, about 3-5 mins. Add the tomato, chilli flakes, calabrian chillies, salt and pepper and cook down, about 5-8 mins. Once the tomato sauce has slightly reduced, taste for salt and adjust.

To plate, lay down the spicy tomato sauce, then crispy gnocchis, garlic panko crumbs and grated parmesan.

Enjoy!