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Gearing up for a Christmas feast? Here’s your chance to get creative! While pasta may not be the typical Christmas dinner, it offers a world of new flavours, and in particular, gnocchi offers up some interesting options. Gnocchi, derived from the Italian word "nocchio," meaning a knot or knuckle, is a kind of Italian pasta known for its pillowy texture and versatility. These small dumplings are traditionally made from a mixture of potatoes, flour, and eggs, but variations exist using different ingredients like semolina or ricotta. With origins dating back to ancient times, gnocchi holds a prominent place in Italian culinary history, where it has been passed down through generations as a cherished comfort food. Today, it continues to be an essential part of Italian cuisine, celebrated in numerous regional recipes and enjoyed worldwide for its simple yet delightful flavours, and is now an interesting option for your Christmas dinner.
With Christmas and New Year's a few weeks away, trying new dishes in the kitchen always makes the festive celebrations more fun and unique to your crowd and circle of friends. Why not try making various gnocchi recipes for a wholesome lunch or NYE dinner? From adults to kids, everyone will love these 5 gnocchi recipes.
One Pan Caprese Gnocchi
Attention, vegetarians in the house! Kick off those mid-week blues this Christmas and NYE with a mouthwatering recipe of crispy caprese gnocchi, which needs only 5 ingredients and can be made in under 30 minutes in one pan only. The burst of flavour from fresh basil and the pairing of juicy tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, with crispy gnocchi is enough to make you drool at the very thought. Light, tender and airy, gnocchi are more of a dumpling and are incredibly versatile as they taste of potato, but just like pasta, they can be served with a variety of sauces and toppings such as cheese, tomato sauce, cream or pesto.
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Sheet-Pan Gnocchi With Sausage & Peppers
This gnocchi recipe is both a nod to one of my favourite Italian-American flavour combinations (sausage, peppers and onions) and an excuse to avoid doing dishes. For this recipe, fresh gnocchi are preferred over cold ones. It becomes crispy on the outside and soft on the inside without being boiled. This sheet-pan gnocchi with sausage, peppers and onions is a nod to Italian flavour combinations.
Tomato Basil Gnocchi
Here, the tomatoes burst and create their own sauce, and because the oven intensifies their jammy flavour, you can even use out-of-season produce and still get great results. Make the pesto and grate the cheese ahead of time, then refrigerate until dinnertime. Spread the gnocchi and tomatoes evenly on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and stir. Toss in the pesto until evenly covered. Mix in the garlic powder, salt, pepper, oregano, dry basil, and red pepper flakes.
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Tteokbokki-Style Gnocchi
Tteokbokki is a Korean street food made with chewy rice cakes and a funky, spicy-sweet gochujang sauce. While the glutinous rice cakes are wonderful and traditional, those of you who do not live near a Korean market have fewer options. Luckily, store-bought gnocchi makes an excellent replacement! The main difference is that, while Korean rice cakes are chewy, the Italian gnocchi is pillowy soft. Both are eaten as a major dish or as a snack. The sauce is so simple and irresistible that you'll seek out more occasions to prepare it!
Image Credit: Pexels
Taco Gnocchi Bake
You’re not strangers to one-pan dinners. Especially when you’re in the middle of hosting a party for Christmas or NYE, right? You don't want to deal with a sink full of dishes; you rely on our trusty skillets to cook a meal from start to finish. This recipe is bursting with flavour and texture that will keep you satisfied for days. The sauce's smoky flavour comes from enchilada sauce. We like to open a can of store-bought enchilada sauce to make dinner easier, but if you want to get fancy, you can create your own. You can include jalapeño, tomato, cilantro, and avocado, but you may customise it with your favourite ingredients. Chopped red onion, sour cream, or extra cheese would all be fantastic here!
