The latest pantry staple in my weeknight rotation is shelf-stable gnocchi, and no one’s more surprised about that than I am. I’ve only infrequently had enough time and energy to make gnocchi from scratch, and when I’m too pressed, I generally rush right past those long-keeping vacu-packs on my way to grab the fresh stuff from the refrigerator aisle.
But then I tried some, and learned that shelf-stable gnocchi is its own potato-ey thing. It’s delightfully chewy and bouncy, more like mochi than an ethereal billow. And I absolutely adore it.
The key is the preparation. Shelf-stable gnocchi is at its best when tossed in oil and cooked at high heat so the edges get nice and crisp to contrast with its soft interior. This is easily done in a skillet, as Ali Slagle proves in her crisp gnocchi with brussels sprouts and brown butter. Or give the plump little dumplings the sheet-pan treatment, as I do in my new recipe for sheet-pan gnocchi with sausage and peppers. With soft silky peppers, a handful of juicy, melting tomatoes, and some rich sausages surrounding the gnocchi, it’s a colorful jumble of textures and flavors.
Featured Recipe
Sheet-Pan Gnocchi With Sausage and Peppers
You can serve it with a big leafy salad, preferably one with crunch, like Andy Baraghani’s leafy greens with turmeric dressing and spicy pistachios. The golden turmeric dressing makes the salad particularly bright and tangy, and it looks especially nice with the pinks and purples of the radicchio, plus whatever greens seem best at the market. And while you could skip the step of candying the nuts in honey, the sweet and spicy bite is well worth those five minutes.
Here’s a pro tip for chicken breast fans: Velvet your chicken. As we’ve mentioned before, this classic Chinese technique, which involves marinating proteins in a cornstarch-soy sauce mixture before cooking, helps keep delicate white meat tender and juicy so it won’t dry out, even when it’s stir-fried at very high heat. Kevin Pang uses it to wonderful effect in his butter-soy chicken and asparagus stir-fry, in which a little butter makes for an especially rich and satiny sauce.
Since I name-checked mochi at the start of the letter, it seems only fair to bring it back for dessert. Might I suggest Genevieve Ko’s marshmallow-soft butter mochi? Genevieve flavors this glorious recipe with passion fruit pulp or purée, which you can make from the fruit or buy frozen. But I’ll often use fresh lime juice and zest instead, as suggested in one of the recipe notes. Either way, it’s a lovely sweet treat that keeps well for several days, and makes plenty to share with the people you love.
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That’s all for now. I’ll see you Wednesday.
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