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:

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

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One-Pot Chicken thighs with Turmeric-Coconut Rice & Greens