Gnocchi Aglio e Olio
Knock, Knock, Gnocchi on Heaven’s Door
What is Gnocchi Aglio e Olio?
Pillowy soft, fluffy Italian dumplings with a buttery, rich and tangy sauce.
Gnocchi is so good it has it’s own festival! Gnocchi Friday is celebrated as part of the carnival in Verona on the last Friday before Lent.
You’ll love it if…
You want to make a simple yet impressive pasta dish from scratch. It’s so quick and easy and it’s a crowd pleaser. *Chef’s kiss*
I have been a fan of gnocchi ever since I was a uni student and would buy a supermarket brand, boil it and dump a bottle of pesto on it. This gnocchi tastes infinitely better, and surprisingly is not much more complicated than buying a ready made packet. Trust me once you taste these fluffy clouds of heaven you’ll never go back to those supermarket dough pebbles.
Turn that gNOcchi into a g-HELL YES-cchi.
Too far? Ok.
Pillowy clouds of gnocchi melt on your tongue. The chicken aglio e olio is buttery, rich, spicy and with tons of umami. A great way to use up leftover chicken or turkey and you get bragging rights about making your own pasta. This is seriously impressive for being so simple, and a crowd pleaser as well.
Make the Dough
Combine all the gnocchi ingredients and knead to form into a dough ball. Roll into a thin log then cut equal pieces.
Prepare the Sauce
Cook the garlic until lightly browned and add all the other remaining dressing sauce ingredients.
Cook the Gnocchi
Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil and add the gnocchi. When the gnocchi float to the surface they are fully cooked. Strain the cooked gnocchi and transfer directly into the pan with the dressing sauce. Add in the chicken and parsley.
Serve and Enjoy!
Top with Parmesan and dig in! Works great in a lunchbox too. *Chef’s kiss*
- Make sure not to over mix the dough, or the gnocchi will be tough. The dough comes together pretty quickly.
- The best potatoes for gnocchi are Yukon gold, russet or other similarly dry and starchy potato varieties.
- You can make gnocchi with boiled pumpkin, sweet potato or yam. Add a teaspoon of cornstarch to help it stay together or you can use a combination of potato and your favourite starchy vegetable.
- This recipe works great with leftover store bought rotisserie chicken, you could also used cooked prawns, tofu or any other topping you like.
- You can make this recipe vegan. See FAQs at the end of the recipe.
Gnocchi Aglio e Olio Recipe
Equipment
- Non-stick pan or a well-seasoned Cast Iron Skillet with lid
- Pot for boiling the gnocchi
Ingredients
For The Gnocchi
- 1½ cups All purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1½ cups cooked mashed potato Yukon gold, russet or other similarly dry and starchy potato
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon black pepper powder
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika or cayenne powder
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- salt to taste
For the Dressing Sauce
- ½ cup mixed bell peppers, finely chopped
- ½ cup white onion, finely diced
- 2 tablespoons garlic, very finely sliced
- 1 teaspoon red chilli flakes or to your taste
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Garnish / Topping
- 1½ cups cooked roast chicken, shredded any store bought rotisserie chicken will do
- 1 tablespoon parsley, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons grated parmesan
Instructions
- Combine all the gnocchi ingredients (1½ cups all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1½ cups cooked mashed potato, 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon black pepper powder, ½ teaspoon each of nutmeg powder and paprika or cayenne powder, salt to taste and a little olive oil to help the dough come together, around 1-3 teaspoons). Knead to form into a dough ball. Make sure not to over knead the mixture, the dough comes together pretty quickly. Set aside for 30 minutes for the gluten to relax.
- Shape the dough into small uniform pillow shaped pieces – roll into a thin log then cut equal pieces. Make sure that you are tossing these in a little flour to stop them from sticking to each other.
- Add 2 tablespoons olive oil & 1 tablespoon butter to a medium hot pan then add the 2 tablespoons garlic slices. Cook the garlic until lightly browned and add all the other remaining dressing sauce ingredients (½ cup finely chopped mixed bell peppers, ½ cup finely diced white onion, 1 teaspoon red chilli flakes or to your taste), Cook until slightly soft and set the pan aside.
- Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and add the gnocchi. When the gnocchi float to the surface they are fully cooked, this should only take a couple of minutes.
- Strain the cooked gnocchi and transfer directly into the pan with the dressing sauce.
- Place the pan on high heat and add 1½ cooked and shredded chicken and 1 tablespoon parsley and stir through. When the gnocchi are slightly browned then the pasta is ready to eat. Top with a generous showering of parmesan and serve.
FAQ
Can I freeze the gnocchi?
Absolutely. Shape the gnocchi dough and freeze it. When you’re ready to make it, you’re just a five minute boil away from an amazing dinner.
Can I make it gluten free?
Yes you can, use gluten free flour instead of all purpose flour.
Can I make it vegan?
Absolutely, substitute 3 tablespoons aquafaba for the egg. For the aglio e olio use a vegan butter substitute. Instead of the chicken use enoki or shitake mushrooms. Other great options are raw jackfruit or grated tofu.
How do I know the gnocchi is cooked?
When the gnocchi float to the surface they are fully cooked, this should only take a couple of minutes.
