Crispy Gnocchi With Burst Tomatoes and Mozzarella

Name: Crispy Gnocchi With Burst Tomatoes and Mozzarella
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed; 2 (12- to 18-ounce) packages shelf-stable or refrigerated potato gnocchi; 1/4 cup unsalted butter; 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced; 1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more for serving; Kosher salt and black pepper; 2 pints small tomatoes, such as cherry, grape or Sungold; 1/4 cup thinly sliced or torn basil leaves (optional), plus more for serving; 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut or torn into 1/2-inch pieces

By Ali Slagle

Published Dec. 15, 2021

Crispy Gnocchi With Burst Tomatoes and Mozzarella — Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini.

Total Time: 25 minutes
Rating: 5(13,310)
Comments: Read comments

Pan-fried gnocchi is like a faster version of baked pasta. Store-bought gnocchi can simply be browned in a pan for an exciting mix of crispy outsides and chewy middles, no boiling required. This dish is studded with juicy tomatoes and melty pockets of mozzarella. Cherry tomatoes are reliably more flavorful year-round than larger, more watery varieties like beefsteak and heirloom. (That said, taste yours, and if they’re more tart than sweet, add ½ teaspoon sugar in Step 2.) Toss the tomatoes with browned butter, red-pepper flakes and garlic, then hit them with a little heat, and they’ll burst into a bright sauce. Stir in the gnocchi, dot with mozzarella, then broil until the cheese is molten and the tomatoes are blistered in spots.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

2tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
2(12- to 18-ounce) packages shelf-stable or refrigerated potato gnocchi
¼cup unsalted butter
4garlic cloves, thinly sliced
¼teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more for serving
Kosher salt and black pepper
2pints small tomatoes, such as cherry, grape or Sungold
¼cup thinly sliced or torn basil leaves (optional), plus more for serving
8ounces fresh mozzarella, cut or torn into ½-inch pieces

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
Heat the broiler with a rack about 6 inches from the heat source.
Step 2
In a large (12-inch) skillet on the stovetop, heat enough olive oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan (about 1 tablespoon) over medium-high. Add half the gnocchi to the pan, breaking up any that are stuck together. Cover with a lid or baking sheet and cook, undisturbed, until golden brown on one side, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl. Repeat with the remaining gnocchi and olive oil.
Step 3
Add the butter to the skillet and cook over medium-high, stirring often, until golden-brown and toasty, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the garlic, red-pepper flakes, 1½ teaspoons salt and a few grinds of pepper, reducing the heat slightly if necessary to avoid scorching. Add the tomatoes and 3 tablespoons water and cook, shaking the pan occasionally, until the tomatoes have softened and the liquid has slightly thickened, 4 to 6 minutes. Smash the tomatoes as they burst to help them along.
Step 4
Add the seared gnocchi and ¼ cup basil (if using), stir to coat, then shake into an even layer. Top with the mozzarella and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Broil until the cheese is melted and browned in spots, 2 to 4 minutes. Top with more basil, red-pepper flakes and black pepper as desired.

Ratings

5 out of 5

13,310 user ratings

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Comments

Andy Forelli4 years ago

I've made this. Here are some tips. Do NOT sear the gnocchi as directed. They will burn. Leave them uncovered and constantly toss them while searing to achieve the "golden brown" color. Take the pan OFF the heat when browning the butter. The residual heat will ensure that you don't scorch the butter and the thinly sliced garlic. You can put it back on the heat once the residual heat in the pan abates a bit. Otherwise, a simply stellar dish that is easy and delicious. A "go-to" dish.

Leah4 years ago

Use chicken broth instead of water, add your favorite nut for texture (I suggest pine nuts), and a light honey drizzle! It helps the tomato flavor to pop and contrast nicely with the crushed red pepper. Lastly, it mentions garlic in the recipe but does not note it in the ingredients, a tablespoon of minced garlic really will marinate nicely with the tomatoes.

Didi4 years ago

The best refrigerated gnocchi are by Rana. Always keep a packet of them around in case rice or potatoes won’t do as starch. Their ravioli are also excellent.

Bland8 hours ago

I’ve made several crispy gnocchi recipes and this one fell flat for my family. The melted cheese seemed to mute the rest of the flavors and quickly became rubbery after removing from the broiler. I will use the method on the stove vs sheet pan style I usually use as I could better control the crisp on the gnocchi.

Squirreljam1 week ago

The base for this is the same idea as Melissa Clark’s “Pasta with Burst Cherry Tomatoes”, so I usually throw in a little dice of whatever pork product I have around (tonight was reg amer bacon but pancetta is great)

Karolina1 week ago

Excellent recipe! I doubled the tomatoes, and added way more red pepper flakes for some extra kick. So tasty!

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