Cheesy Baked Gnocchi with Bacon
Date Night Baked Gnocchi with Bacon is the ultimate Saturday night dinner for two. This delicious cheesy gnocchi bake couldn't be easier to make!
Servings: 2 very hungry people
Cost: £5 / $6.50
Equipment
- 12" Skillet & Wooden Spoon
- Large Pot & Colander
- Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
- Small Baking Dish
- Serving Spoon
- Cheese Grater
Ingredients
- 1lb / 500g Fresh Gnocchi
- 2 cups / 500ml Tomato Passata (pureed/strained Tomatoes)
- 1/4 cup / 60ml Double/Heavy Cream, at room temp
- 2.5oz / 75g Mozzarella
- 2.5oz / 75g Cheddar Cheese, or as needed to cover the top
- 4-5 rashers Smoked Streaky Bacon, chopped
- 1 small/medium White Onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves Garlic, finely diced
- 1 tbsp finely diced Fresh Parsley (can save a pinch extra to garnish)
- 1 tbsp finely diced Fresh Basil (can save a pinch extra to garnish)
- 1/2 tsp EACH: Smoked Paprika, Sugar
- Salt & Pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a pan over low-medium heat fry bacon until crispy with the fat rendered. Increase heat slightly to medium and add onion. Fry until soft and golden, then add garlic and fry for another 1-2mins.
- Pour in the tomato passata and swill out the carton/jar with a splash of water. Stir through the cream until fully blended. Add basil, parsley, smoked paprika, sugar and salt & pepper to taste. Turn heat to low and simmer for 12-15mins until the sauce thickens. Pre heat oven to 200C/400F
- Just before the sauce has finished simmering, add gnocchi to salted boiling water and boil for 1 minute. Immediately drain, then stir into the sauce.
- Add half the gnocchi to a small baking dish, cover with mozzarella then add the rest of the gnocchi. Top with cheddar, then bake in the oven for around 15-20mins, or until golden and crispy on top and bubbling in the centre.
- Serve with an extra sprinkle of leftover herbs then tuck in and enjoy!
Video
Notes
a) Gnocchi - The aim of the game is to JUST about cook the gnocchi. Whatever it says on your packet instruction take 1 minute off. You want to release some starch so it doesn't go too gloopy in the oven, but you don't want to completely cook the gnocchi and cook it further in the oven as it will be too soft.
b) Pasta - You can sub pasta instead of gnocchi, just use 7oz/200g instead (penne works great).
c) Dried Herbs - Definitely opt for fresh, dried herbs won't have enough time to infuse into the sauce. If you've only got dried just 1 tsp of each and don't use any to garnish.
d) Updated Recipe 2022 - I have revamped the recipe from 2017 for extra deliciousness. It's basically the same with a few adjustments. Mainly the removal of cherry tomatoes, although you could still add them if you'd like. Minor adjustments are: double the garlic, half the smoked paprika, a little less mozzarella and placed in the centre instead of stirred through and a dash of sugar to balance out the tomatoes. Also allowing time to simmer the sauce to marry the flavours and thicken it.
e) Serving - Will feed 2 very hungry people by itself, or 3-4 with a side (i.e Garlic Bread)
f) Calories - Whole recipe divided by 2 with no sides.
Nutrition
Calories: 971kcal | Carbohydrates: 58.64g | Protein: 32.85g | Fat: 68.69g | Saturated Fat: 27.249g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2.149g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12.194g | Trans Fat: 0.418g | Cholesterol: 141mg | Sodium: 1409mg | Potassium: 1389mg | Fiber: 6.6g | Sugar: 14.02g | Vitamin A: 4162IU | Vitamin C: 46.5mg | Calcium: 537mg | Iron: 3.18mg