Gnocchi is a Cornfield Bigfoot fav. That’s because it's a delightful little potato dumpling. I honestly never had gnocchi until my early 30s. I’m 440 for reference 😉. I really missed out! Gnocchi is very versatile because it can be prepared in so many ways, used as a main ingredient or just an add-on, and it works with a wide variety of other ingredients. It is true magic. For this recipe though, I’m keeping it simple to highlight its delicious awesomeness.
I like this recipe because it is so simple. There is hardly any prep and the oven is doing most of the work. I like adding the Italian sausage for flavor, texture, and protein. The gnocchi and the sausage get a nice crunchy texture from the baking. I like to add raw onion and bell pepper to add some crisp veg crunch. And our “sauce” is my take on vinegar and oil. My version came from lacking a true vinegar so I improvised with what was in the fridge and was pleasantly surprised with the results. I am always trying to limit waste and I think most people just pour the pickling juice down the drain. Now we have a proper culinary use for it. This dish is a great dinner for a cold night, summer evening, or really occasion.
INGREDIENTS
1 package of Trader Joe’s Gnocchi
2 Tofurky Italian sausages
½ red bell pepper
¼ white onion
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1 handful fresh basil
½ cup pickled banana peppers
½ cup pick juice from banana pepper jar
Olive oil
1 tablespoon Trader Joe’s Green Goddess seasoning
INSTRUCTIONS
Set the oven to 450F.
Dice sausages into bite sized pieces.
On a baking sheet covered in parchment paper place gnocchi and sausage pieces. Drizzle with olive oil and bake for 20 minutes.
Chop veggies into bite sized pieces.
Mix seasoning, veggies, banana peppers, and that tasty juice along with an equal part of olive oil.
Mix in baked gnocchi and sausage.
Pour yourself another beer and enjoy!
IT’S ALL ABOUT THE BEER
To pair with our delightful dish of gnocchi, I am going with Avery’s White Rascal Belgian Wit. This beer is a cool breeze on the gnocchis lovely spring day. I’m not a huge wheat beer fan, but I dig a Belgian wit. Avery has many great beers so I can’t call this the beer that put them on the map, but I’ll sail towards this one anytime I see it.