Gnocchi is one of those absolutely fabulous foods that blow my mind: you can buy it pre-made in a shelf-stable form, boil it in no time, add some sauce and boom: dinner is served. The idea of baking gnocchi never occurred to me until a friend had me over for dinner and created a version of this one-sheet wonder. By simply roasting gnocchi and vegetables together on a single pan, this dish couldn’t be easier to prepare and the outcome couldn’t be more satisfying. The roasted red onion produces a sweetness that mingles perfectly with the peppers and gnocchi.
Gnocchi has a rich history dating back to ancient Roman times, where dumplings similar to gnocchi were made using various grains. The word “gnocchi” is believed to derive from the Italian word nocchio, meaning a knot in wood or a knuckle. This likely refers to the shape or texture of the pasta. The introduction of the potato to Europe from the Americas in the 16th century played a significant role in the development of potato gnocchi.
Initially, potatoes were met with skepticism in Europe and were considered suitable only for animal feed. However, over time, they gained acceptance as a staple food source, particularly among peasants in Italy, where they were widely cultivated, especially in Lombardy, Piedmont, and Friuli-Venezia Giulia — and inexpensive. The dish spread throughout the country and eventually became a staple of Italian cuisine.
Have fun making this easy, tasty, and colorful dish!
Recipe from The Mediterranean Dish.
Ingredients:
- 1-16 ounce packet of shelf-stable gnocchi
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 yellow or orange bell pepper, chopped
- 1 red onion, chopped
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried basil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 3 to 4 handfuls baby spinach or arugula
- Parmesan cheese, to serve
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven: Heat the oven to 425°F.
- Mix everything together: On a large sheet pan covered with parchment paper, add the gnocchi, red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, red onion, cherry tomatoes, minced garlic, olive oil, oregano, basil, salt, thyme, red pepper flakes, and black pepper. Use your hands to combine everything together. Make sure everything is well coated in the spices and oil.
- Bake: Place the sheet pan in the oven and bake for 40 minutes, stirring halfway through. Five minutes before the gnocchi and vegetables are finished, remove the sheet pan from the oven. Add the spinach and stir to combine. Return to the oven for the remaining five minutes, just until the spinach is wilted.
- Serve: Serve with shaved parmesan cheese, and a drizzle of olive oil.