PPN Panfried Gnocchi with Cauliflower and Peas

Sylvia has wanted some gnocchi in the supermarket.  We rarely have gnocchi - from the supermarket or made by my own hand.  I put it in the trolley anyway.  It sat in the fridge until a hot day when I was low on energy.  Pan fried gnocchi seemed the answer.  I three in some vegies that needed to be used, some parmesan cheese and a generous glug of oil.

It was lovely.  Not perfect.  Yet great comfort food.  My problem was that it was too savoury.  It needed some sweetness to balance the flavours.  I think it would be great with roast pumpkin.  I even wished I had remembered the half jar of roasted red peppers in my fridge.  Or a salad with a sweetish dressing.   Or even lemon juice.  Maybe it would have been better if I had had more peas, or if less of them had gone into Dolly's bowl.  At least I had willing helpers.  We served the gnocchi with corn on the cob.  Ironically Sylvia was not a fan of the gnocchi.

It surprises me just how chewy that gnocchi was - pleasingly so.  Less surprising is Nigella claiming she could simulate roast potatoes by pan frying gnocchi.  I didn't take much notice of timing or rigorously measure ingredients but I think it took about 45 minutes all up.  Below is what I did.

I am sending the pasta sauce to Rachel of The Crispy Cook for Presto Pasta Nights #244, the weekly pasta event coordinated by Ruth of Once Upon a Feast.

Other blogger recipes for ready made gnocchi:

• Baked gnocchi in tomato sauce - A Wee Bit of Cooking
• Gnocchi with morels, peas, sorrel oil, pine nuts, and miso broth - Veganasaurus
• Pan fried potato gnocchi with arugula, parmesan and walnuts - Herbivoracious
• Quick basil and pinenut fried gnocchi - Vegetarian Life Australia
• Tomato and aubergine gnocchi bake - Tinned Tomatoes

Panfried Gnocchi with Cauliflower and Peas
serves 3-4

olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cauliflower, cut into small florets
pinch salt
pinch smoked salt
1-2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
couple of handfuls of fresh peas, podded (or more)
1 packet ready made gnocchi (enough to serve 4)
1 tomato, chopped
2-4 tbsp parmesan cheese, finely grated
freshly ground black pepper

Heat a glug or two of olive oil in a large frypan.  Fry onion for 5-10 minutes until softened while you chop the cauliflower.  Add the cauliflower and the salts (and another glug of oil if needed).  Cook for another perhaps 20-30 minutes until the cauliflower is tender.  Add peas and garlic.  cook for a couple of minutes.  Add gnocchi with another glug of oil and cook for another 5-15 minutes until gnocchi is a little crispy and soft inside.  The onion should be well browned and caramelised by now.  Turn off the heat and stir through the parmesan and tomato.  Serve with extra parmesan and freshly ground black pepper if desired.

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