Gnocchi with Mexican Corn

Tonight Sylvia started reading a chapter book in bed.  It wasn't planned.  She just happened to find a crochet blanket down the side of her bed.  Under it was The Folk of the Faraway Tree.  I came into her room and found her reading the book and telling me that I don't need to read to her any more.  Life can be like that.  Unexpected.  Yet obvious when it happens.  Like this gnocchi dish I made this week.

I happened to come across the interesting pasta salads at Cinnamon Spice and Everything Nice.  In particular the Mexican Street Corn Salad took my interest.  It was something fun to make with the corn in the fridge.  And I had yoghurt, the lime, the avocado and some tofu feta.  I wanted it less creamy, less spicy and to use the gnocchi I had in the pantry.  Mine looked like a distant cousin of the Cinnamon Spice and Everything Nice salad.

In fact it didn't look like a salad at all.  Despite my good intentions.  In fact I got fixated on making the corn for some Stuff and Stand taco shells that had been too surprising to pass up in the supermarket.  They were just right for stuffing with lots of interesting food.  I had the lettuce and refried beans for colour.  Then I remembered the pasta and was unsure. 

I threw in the pasta with the corn and left the taco shells until the following night.  In my imagination they had become massive taco bowls.  A quick look reminded me they were not that big.  Pretty but never made to hold a meal!  They were also unexpectedly soft.  A nice little addition to the meal but not the star that I had expected.

I am sure the gnocchi and corn would be satisfying on their own.  However I highly recommend serving it with the lettuce, refried beans and yoghurt.  It adds colour, texture and nutrition.  This meal could be made in a dairy loving kitchen with Greek yoghurt, parmesan and feta.  Or it could be made vegan with vegan gnocchi, vegan yoghurt, nutritional yeast and tofu feta.  Mine was a bit of both, according to availability and whim.

I am sending this pasta to Rachel Cotterill who is hosting Jac's Pasta Please event this month with the theme of Fusion pasta dishes.  I love the theme and am pleased to be part of the event, albeit a little late (thanks Rachel).

More fusion pasta dishes at Green Gourmet Giraffe:

• Immunity boost spaghetti
• Red Russian pasta
• Spaghetti pie 
• Vegetarian enchilada pasta bake  
• Zucchini and noodle slice

Gnocchi with Mexican Corn
An original recipe by Green Gourmet Giraffe
Serves 4

3-4 tbsp olive oil, divided
kernels of 3 cobs of corn
500g packaged gnocchi
2 spring onions, sliced
1 handful parsley (or fresh coriander), finely chopped
1 tbsp hot sauce (I used Franks)
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp salt, or to taste 
1-2 pinches of chilli powder
1 avocado, diced
1/4 cup tofu feta or feta
1 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes or parmesan
juice of 1-2 limes
2 dessertspoons plain yoghurt

To serve:
Refried beans
Lettuce
Plain yoghurt

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium high  heat in a large frypan and fry for a few minutes or until the corn until cooked.  (Alternatively you could BBQ or roast the corn if you had time.)  Remove cooked corn from frypan and set aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in the frypan.  Fry gnocchi for about 5 minutes or until cooked and soft with some crispy edges from frying.  Add more oil if needed.  Return corn to frypan with spring onions, parsley, hot sauce, smoked paprika, salt and chilli powder.  Stir for a minute or so to heat through.  Stir in remaining ingredients and remove from heat.  Check seasoning.

Serve gnocchi with refried beans, lettuce and extra yoghurt.

On the stereo:
Live Concert Recordings: The Dead: Dec 30 and New Year's Eve Oakland CA. (The Grateful Dead)