Sheet Pan Gnocchi “Amatriciana”
I put “Amatriciana” in quotes, because Lord knows the Italians would kill me for calling this anywhere near a classic Pasta all’Amatriciana… One, anyone who hails from the town of Amatrice, where the dish originated, would never serve the classic sauce with gnocchi (bucatini is the classic). Two, I am not calling for the traditional guanciale (cured pork jowl), because this is about convenience. Three, most Italians would say that red onion and garlic don’t even belong in a classic Amatriciana (but they’re delicious and sort of “melt” in this recipe, so use ‘em!).
This is—instead—a sheet pan supper for when you want to combine a bunch of stuff on a pan, throw it in the oven, and walk away to do the 18 other things you need to accomplish before dinner (one of which, I hope, includes a glass of vino or some relaxation for the cook!).
BEFORE roasting in the oven
Oh, and after 25-40 minutes of mostly-hands-off cooking, you’ve got a delicious dinner on the table with tons of layers of flavor. Cheers to that!
AFTER roasting—CrispyTown USA!
Sheet Pan
Gnocchi “Amatriciana”
As with most sheet pan dishes, cutting everything about the same size and using enough olive oil on the pan are key.
I recommend pancetta, but bacon will work just fine (will impart a stronger smoke flavor), as will prosciutto.
If you have a coarse-grind setting on your pepper mill, use it here and don’t skimp on the pepper! Combined with the red chili flakes, it adds a different layer of spice to the dish.
The combo of tomatoes and the lemon/parsley topping, add bright acidity that cuts through the richness of the dish, so don’t leave it out!
Serves 2 - 4
INGREDIENTS:
1 (12- to 18-ounce) packages shelf-stable or refrigerated potato gnocchi
2 pints small tomatoes, any combination of cherry, grape, or Sungold
4 ounces (1/4 pound) pancetta, diced or sliced ¼” thick
1 red onion, halved then sliced ⅛” - ¼” thick
4 large cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
3-4 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves stripped from woody stems
1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes, or more if you like it spicy
Zest of 1 lemon
1/4 cup chopped fresh Parsley
Pecorino Romano cheese, for serving
Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil
METHOD:
Preheat oven to 425ºF. Remove gnocchi from packaging and place in a large mixing bowl, gently breaking up any clumps with your fingers. Add tomatoes, pancetta, onion, garlic, thyme leaves and chili flakes to the bowl. Drizzle with a generous amount of olive oil, and a healthy pinch of kosher salt and black pepper. Toss everything together, so that it’s well-coated in oil.
Spread ingredients evenly in one layer on a rimmed sheet pan, and cook undisturbed for 25 minutes. This will give the gnocchi a chance to crisp on one side. After 25 minutes, stir/flip the pan’s contents and return to the oven another 10-15 minutes longer.
While the gnocchi and vegetables cook, combine the zest of one lemon and chopped parsley in a small bowl. Top each serving with some of the lemon/parsley mixture and plenty of Pecorino Romano cheese.
