THIS POST IS SPONSORED BY
DeLallo Foods, who I’m so excited to partner & share with you all throughout 2019. Their brand new Gnocchi Kit is absolutely changin’ the weeknight gnocchi-makin’ game! All thoughts & opinions are my own. 💜
If I told you that you could make homemade gnocchi and homemade pasta sauce in a matter of 30 minutes any night of the week would you call me a liar?
…probably, right?
& I cant say I’d blame you, because I don’t think that I’d believe me either.
But! It’s 100% true.
Fluffy & tender gnocchi. Bold & richly flavored tomato sauce. All homemade, all in 30 minutes or less.
Say hello to your newest favorite weeknight meal. 😍
this Recipe for Later!
Here’s the deal: I really can’t take all of the credit for this slightly mind-boggling situation we’ve got going on here…it’s entirely made possible by of my fave friends/geniuses over at DeLallo.
DeLallo recently launched a brand new Gnocchi Kit, which makes making homemade gnocchi a total breeze. As a longtime fan of their Pizza Dough Kit, I completely flipped out when I learned about it.
If you’re not familiar with DeLallo’s kits, they take all the effort out of creating scratch-made goodies. For example, all you have to do is add some warm water to the gnocchi kit, stir it up, & you’ve got yourself the most beautifully light & tender homemade gnocchi…& it takes less than 10 minutes!
Ahem…I REPEAT: Homemade gnocchi in less than 10 minutes, people!!! No steaming hot potatoes or fussy guesswork needed. They’re completely delish, & I’m completely obsessed. (In case you hadn’t noticed. 😉)
Really wanting to keep this recipe quick but comforting, I decided to serve up the gnocchi in a pretty classic Amatriciana sauce.
If you’re not familiar with Amatriciana sauce, don’t be intimidated by its long name. It’s a simple garlicky tomato sauce, with lots of richness from rendered pancetta (Italian bacon!) & lots of zippy kick from red chili flakes.
It’s bold, spicy, & satisfying, & just so happens to be one of my favorite quick Italian tomato sauces.
Pillowy, tender homemade gnocchi. Rich & spicy tomato sauce. Add a glass of red wine, a cozy blanket, & an episode of The Voice, & I’d say we’ve entered weeknight heaven. RIGHT?
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What sauce goes with gnocchi?
Gnocchi are small Italian dumplings traditionally made from potatoes & flour. Because gnocchi are traditionally so mild in flavor & pillow-y light in texture, you can serve them up in just about any sauce you love. Any sauce is a good sauce for gnocchi!
Some of the most classic gnocchi pairings:
- most simply, brown butter, infused with sage or other hardy herbs
- pesto – its fresh & vibrant flavor is a great contrast to cozy & comforting gnocchi
- pomodoro – a simple, fresh tomato sauce with garlic & basil
- bolognese or ragu – totally comforting braised meat sauces.
Really wanting to keep this recipe quick but comforting, I decided to serve up the gnocchi in a pretty classic Amatriciana sauce.
What is Amatriciana sauce?
If you’re not familiar with Amatriciana sauce, you’ll quickly grow to love it. It’s bold, spicy, rich, & so satisfying – Amatriciana is one of my all-time favorite quick Italian tomato sauces!
Amatriciana (pronounced “ah-mah-tree-chi-ah-nah”) is a classic Italian tomato sauce from Rome. Despite being made from a handful of very simple ingredients & coming together pretty quickly, Amatriciana sauce is really bold & rich in flavor. It’s garlicky, zippy, spicy, & rich, thanks to garlic, red chili flakes, & pancetta (Italian bacon!).
You’ll typically see Amatriciana sauce served with pasta (“pasta all Amatriciana”, or, more specifically, “bucatini all Amatriciana”), but I really wanted to try it out with gnocchi in this recipe.
(& spoiler alert…it’s a match made in heaven!)
Gnocchi all’Amatriciana ingredients:
One of my favorite parts of Italian cooking is that it typically calls for minimal & simple ingredients. This gnocchi all’Amatriciana recipe is no exception.
You need just 8 simple ingredients: (Note, the full ingredients list & measurements are provided in the Recipe Card, below)
- a few Italian staples: olive oil, garlic, crushed red pepper
- crushed tomatoes
- pancetta (Italian bacon!)
- pecorino or parmesan cheese
- & of course – the brand new DeLallo Gnocchi kit, or 1 1/2 pounds of your favorite gnocchi
It’s worth noting that, traditionally, Amatriciana sauce is made with guanciale, cured pork jowl, which you can typically find at specialty Italian delis & shops. Since pancetta is a bit more widely available, that’s what I’ve chosen to use in this Amatriciana sauce recipe.
How to make this easy Gnocchi all’Amatriciana recipe…
Homemade gnocchi and homemade tomato sauce, in 30 minutes or less – I wasn’t kidding! This gnocchi all’Amatriciana recipe is easy, comforting, & QUICK. Here’s how it happens: (Note that the full Recipe Directions are provided in the Recipe Card, below.)
How to make Amatriciana sauce:
- Render the pancetta:Add the pancetta to a skillet & cook until the fat renders and the pancetta becomes golden & crispy.
- Add the aromatics:Add a swish of olive oil to the pancetta, then add in the garlic & red chili flake. Let the garlic & red chili flake cook until they become very fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Be sure to stir the whole time to prevent burning!
- Simmer:Add some pecorino or parmesan cheese & crushed tomatoes to the skillet, then reduce the heat to low & let it simmer for 15-20 minutes. The flavors of all the components will begin to meld together, & the sauce will thicken up nicely.
Meanwhile, prep that Gnocchi Kit!
- Prep the gnocchi water:Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Mix the dough:Add the Gnocchi Kit contents into a large bowl, then pour 1 1/2 cups warm water over top. Stir to combine, forming a soft & fluffy dough.
- Form the gnocchi:Turn the gnocchi dough out on to a lightly floured surface & form it into a loaf shape. Use a knife or bench scraper to cut the dough into 1-inch strips. Use your hands to roll the strips into long ropes, then cut into 1-inch gnocchi – so easy!
- Boil the gnocchifor 2-3 minutes, until the gnocchi float to the top.
& lastly…finish the Gnocchi all’Amatriciana:Transfer the gnocchi to the skillet with the Amatriciana sauce. Stir to combine, then serve immediately!
30 minutes. 8 ingredients. Comfort food couldn’t be easier!
I hope you give this Gnocchi all’Amatriciana recipe a try very soon – I know you’ll love it! If you make it, be sure to snap a photo & tag @playswellwithbutter on Instagram. One of my absolute favorite things is seeing your pwwb creations! 💜
Oh, & be sure to order a Gnocchi Kit from my friends over at DeLallo. It’s so easy to throw together on any night of the week, & more importantly, it’s so delish. I know you’ll love it as much as I do!
Gnocchi all’Amatriciana
★★★★★5 from 6 reviews
- Author: Jess Larson
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes (includes inactive time)
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: serves 4
- Category: Pasta recipes
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Description
A comforting twist on classic pasta all’Amatriciana, this Gnocchi all’Amatriciana recipe is total weeknight comfort food. Pillowy-soft potato & parmesan dumplings served in a homemade tomato sauce that’s simple to make but also deeply rich in flavor. A new absolute go-to for easy weeknight cooking!
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 DeLallo Gnocchi kit, mixed & cut according to package directions (see Recipe Notes)
- 1 pound spicy Italian sausage
- 4 ounces pancetta, diced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 large cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flake (see Recipe Notes)
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 cup grated pecorino or parmesan cheese
- 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes (fire-roasted if possible)
- for serving, as desired: extra grated pecorino or parmesan cheese, chopped fresh parley or basil
Instructions
- Prep:
- Roast the Italian sausage: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place the sausage links on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Transfer to the oven and roast for 10 minutes, until cooked through. Remove from the oven & set aside to cool. Once cool enough to handle, thinly slice the sausage on a slight bias. Set aside.
- Prep the gnocchi water: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Render the pancetta: Add the pancetta to a medium skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring occassionally, until the fat renders & the pancetta becomes golden & crispy, about 5 minutes.
- Cook the Amatriciana sauce: Add the olive oil to the skillet with the rendered pancetta & let it come up to temperature for a minute or two. Once hot, add in the chopped garlic & pepper flake, seasoning with the kosher salt & stirring to combine. Cook, stirring constantly to prevent burning, until very fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Add the cheese & tomatoes, stirring to combine. Reduce heat to medium-low & simmer the sauce, stirring occassionally, until thickened slightly, 10-15 minutes.
- Prepare the gnocchi: Meanwhile, as the Amatriciana sauce simmers, prep the gnocchi. Follow package directions to prepare the gnocchi. Be careful not to overwork the gnocchi as you mix it up – once the dough comes together, you should be ready to roll it out!
- Boil the gnocchi: As the sauce begins to reach your desired consistency, drop the prepared gnocchi into the boiling water. Give the pot a stir to prevent any sticking, then let the gnocchi boil for 3-5 minutes. They will float to the top of the pot once they’re ready. Before draining, reserve 1 cup of the pasta water. Drain the gnocchi.
- Finish the Gnocchi all’Amatriciana: Add the sliced sausage & cooked gnocchi to the skillet with the Amatriciana sauce. Stir to combine, adding some of the reserved pasta water to the skillet as needed to help the sauce coat the gnocchi & sausage.
- Serve immediately, topped with extra grated cheese & chopped fresh herbs as desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- Spice level: By definition, Amatriciana is a bold & spicy sauce – I really wanted to showcase that in this recipe. As written, the recipe will yield a bold & zippy sauce – you’ll feel some heat in each bite but it shouldn’t be too overwhelming. If you’re sensitive to spice, I suggest using 1/2-1 teaspoon crushed red chili flakes (& swapping out the spicy sausage with sweet or mild). If you love spice, use up to 2 teaspoons crushed red chili flakes.
- Gnocchi: I’m absolutely obsessed with DeLallo’s new Gnocchi Kit. Homemade gnocchi couldn’t be easier – you just add water & stir. Highly suggest ordering it & giving it a try. If you do not have the Gnocchi Kit, you can substitute it with 1 1/2 pounds of your favorite dried gnocchi. This is mine. Cook according to package directions with the same timing as laid out in the Recipe Directions, above.
Keywords: weeknight cooking
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