Pre-made gnocchi is one of my favorite throw together comfort foods. Gnocchi is similar to both pasta and dumplings except the main ingredient is potatoes instead of flour and once it is thrown into some boiling water it cooks in only two minutes, maximum three minutes and the pieces come out dense and soft. Potatoes are very easy for us to digest and they are a good recovery food if you’ve been suffering from any of the winter viruses making their rounds now. Traditionally gnocchi does have some white flour as a binder but there are gluten-free options that use potato starch instead and they are really delicious. If I don’t have any leftover meat to use up I throw in a can of chickpeas for more nutrients and sustenance. I also like to add in some sharp cheese, feta in this case, and a small amount of raw onion for some fast flavor. The little ridges in the gnocchi hold sauces nicely so you don’t need to use too much, here I used some pesto but tomato or creamy sauces work well too. Since the gnocchi has such a subtle flavor it pairs well with lots of different flavors and you can dress it up with whatever you have lying around the kitchen. Making sauces from scratch takes awhile and it doesn’t last as long but if you do you can freeze them in ice cube trays and then pull out only as much as you need for fast dishes like this. When I haven’t taken that prepatory step I go with a pesto from the deli section, I have found them to taste much better and have a healthier ingredient list than the jarred versions in the preserved sauce section. The jarred tomato sauces, however are pretty good and most grocery stores have an organic version that goes on sale, these ones usually have higher quality oils and other ingredients than the conventional versions and if you can catch the sales they are the same price.
Legend has it that gnocchi has been around since the days of the Roman empire but back then it was made mainly with semolina flour since potatoes were not yet a staple in that part of the world. Over the centuries gnocchi has evolved differently in different countries and spread across several continents, and modern food technology means that today we can pick some up at the grocery store in the dried pasta section.
- 1 500 g bag gluten-free gnocchi
- 1 14 oz (398 ml) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2 tablespoons pesto sauce
- 2 tablespoons feta cheese, crumbled
- 1 teaspoon thinly sliced red onion
- Set up a large pot on the stove around ⅔ full of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Once it is boiling throw in the gnocchi and chickpeas (the chickpeas are already cooked but this warms them up). When the gnocchi starts rising to the surface, after 2-3 minutes, it is ready. Strain the gnocchi and chickpeas then add them back to the pot and toss with the sauce, cheese and onions.