What's For Dinner
October 31 2007
Quick Dinner: Gnocchi with Meat Sauce
Gnocchi are potatoe pasta that you can easily get in the normal grocery store these days. Of course they're not quite the same as Grandma's - but they work well for a weeknight. If you're interested in making your own, I'd suggest following this recipe from Food Network.
1 package of italian sausage - I used hot sausage made with chicken
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 jar of your favorite tomatoe and basil pasta sauce
1 package of gnocchi - either from the freezer section or the pasta aisle
salt
grated parmesan cheese
In a sauce pan, heat the olive oil over a medium high heat. Remove the sausage from it's casing and add to the pan. Cook the sausage until it's fully cooked. If there's a lot of grease in the pan, drain most of it out.
Add the jar of sauce to the pan and stir. Turn the heat down to low.
Boil a large fpot of water for the gnocchi. When it comes to a boil add enough salt to make it taste like sea water - this is how you flavor your pasta. Add the gnocchi and cook until they float to the top of the water - about 3 minutes. Follow the instructions on the package if it differs from these instructions.
When the gnocchi is cooked, drain and place in a bowl for serving. Pour the meat sauce over the gnocchi and top with a little grated parmesan cheese. Serve with a side salad and you're all set.