Easy cheesy aubergine parm gnocchi

One-pan aubergine parmigiana gnocchi bake and pudding paradise on Paradise Row

If there’s any ingredient that’s had a stronghold on twenty-something cooks for the past few years, it’s ready-made gnocchi. Its quick-cooking time and comforting texture make it everyone’s favourite, not to mention it tastes excellent fried, boiled and even baked. It’s one of mine, too, and tends to be my go-to when I’m looking for a midweek meal that feels a little bit indulgent.

This recipe is a one-pan wonder (with a little rinse involved) and takes less than half an hour from chopping to serving. To my mind, those are the components of a great midweek meal. You can easily double or triple the ingredients to feed a crowd, and perhaps decant into large baking dishes if you don’t have enough pans. I serve mine with a lazy zesty salad (I just drizzle extra virgin olive oil and a squeeze of fresh lemon over my leaves) and some fresh basil torn over the top.

Aubergine parmigiana gnocchi bake

Serves 2 generously

1 large aubergine
3 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves of garlic
500g passata
1 tbsp balsamic or red wine vinegar
300g gnocchi
1 ball of mozzarella
fresh basil (to garnish)

1. Preheat the oven to 180C. Chop your aubergine into 2-3cm chunks. Lay on a plate in an even layer and sprinkle with salt to draw out the moisture. Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp of the olive oil in a large oven-proof frying pan on a gentle heat. Finely chop the garlic, then add to the pan and fry for a couple of minutes until fragrant.

2. Add the passata to the pan, stir and season with a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of sugar. Add the vinegar and simmer for a few minutes. Decant into a jug, then rinse out the pan to use for the aubergines.

3. Heat the remaining oil in the pan, then pat your aubergines roughly dry with a sheet of kitchen towel, then place in the pan. Fry for a couple of minutes on each side, then add in the passata and gnocchi to the pan. Give it a good stir, then take off the heat and tear the mozzarella over the top.

4. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes until the sauce has thickened and the cheese is melted and bubbling.

The world likes to divide itself into ‘pudding people’ and ‘not pudding people’. I like to believe that ‘not pudding people’ have just not had a really good one yet. A couple of weeks ago, I had quite possibly the best pudding I’ve ever had, and I really do think it could convert even the least pudding-y of people. If you’re in the mood to have your mind changed, you should head over to Sager + Wilde in Bethnal Green. The second outpost of the wine bar (the first is on Hackney Road) is focusing on its small plate offering - and boy is it good. I’ll start with dessert, seeing as I’ve hyped it up so much:

Other dishes included this beautiful sea bass crudo with calamansi (a citrus fruit from the Phillippines) and shiso, a food-porn worthy burrata, torn open and dressed with grapes and walnuts, and monkfish tail with prawn bisque and borlotti beans. Another star of the show for me were the cheddar beignets, which were essentially little cheesy dream puffs jazzed up with a squeeze of lemon. Absolutely perfect. If you’re looking for somewhere to celebrate something special, or perhaps take your parents for a nice meal somewhere ‘trendy’ this is it.