10 minute crispy aglio e olio gnocchi
Genuinely the nicest quick gnocchi recipe ever, and a birthday throwback
I love it when a meal you make one time in a rush or a pinch becomes a mainstay in your recipe rotation. That’s exactly what’s happened with this crispy aglio e olio gnocchi recipe. It’s probably blasphemous to call it that (sorry Italians) but the main components remain the same. Garlic, chilli, parsley, lemon and plenty of olive oil.
The idea of using gnocchi came to me in a moment of laziness and hunger more than anything. I’d been at the pub and was feeling that post-pint gnaw and needed something a little more satiating than skinny spaghetti from Londis. Gnocchi was the answer, and obviously everything’s better when it’s fried, so I made it crispy.
Chuck in the chopped other ingredients and you’ve got a meal that genuinely takes 10 minutes or less, and tastes like you put far much more effort in than you really did. I’ve made it here for one person because that’s my favourite time to eat it (probably with all that lovely olive oil making its way down my chin, let’s be real) but you can easily make it for two, four or however many you like if you’ve got a big enough pan.
Crispy aglio e olio gnocchi
Serves 1
1 tbsp olive oil, plus any extra for drizzling
125g fresh gnocchi
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
a pinch of crushed chillies
a handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped
1/2 a lemon for juicing
optional: a few generous gratings of parmesan
Heat the olive oil in a frying pan on a medium heat. Once hot, add the gnocchi to the pan and toss to coat. Leave alone for a couple of minutes so one side of the gnocchi has time to work up a nice crispy coat.
Toss the gnocchi and leave again for a couple of minutes to get crispy. Then, add the garlic and fry for a minute or so. You don’t want the garlic getting brown, just fragrant.
Then, add the chilli flakes, parsley and lemon juice and toss to combine. Season with plenty of salt and pepper, then (if you want) add the parmesan. Serve however you like. Straight from the pan is an option.
This week I’m casting my mind back to an absolute dream of a meal I had for my birthday last month. It was a surprise location (my favourite kind of surprise) and I had almost forgotten it was on my to-go list, but I shan’t be forgetting Rita’s anytime soon.
It’s just so bloody lovely for a celebration meal - not too fancy, but feels nice enough that you’re going somewhere special. We started with jalapeno gildas, which were the most savoury thing I think I’ve ever eaten.
We also ate my absolute favourite thing that I bang on about every autumn: Delica squash. This time it was served with creamy Stracciatella and crispy breadcrumbs. Yum.
I’ve been dabbling in the world of fish for some time now, and one of my new favourite discoveries is sea trout. It’s sort of like salmon, but it’s got a much more delicate flavour and I think it’s way juicier. At Rita’s, it comes with brothy Borlotti beans and a herby sauce. We added chips because when you can, you always should.
For pud, it had to be the chocolate fudge cake and this one was properly good. 10/10 would recommend for nice occasions with a glass of fizz and a big smile on your face.