Chadwiko's Chilli Cheese Burnt Butter Gnocchi

You know the old clichéd saying that you’d hear a drunk and surly Lee Marvin hurl at the upstart young cowboy hero? “This town’s not big enough for the two of us!”. Well, sometimes, that same phrase can apply to the kitchen in the Wiko household. It’s not that Erinwiko is territorial about the kitchen, nor is it that I’m chauvinistic and believe that “ladies belong in the kitchen!”. Rather, it’s just that Erinwiko thoroughly enjoys cooking so much that she’s usually found in the kitchen most notes creating culinary delights, meaning I rarely get to take responsibility for feeding us.

However, on the rare exceptions where the task of cooking up a storm falls in my lap, then I have a recipe that I have been perfecting for a while. It’s entirely an original Chadwiko creation, and now I’m sharing it with the world. It’s very easy to make, serves 3-4 people comfortably (or two very hungry people), and although I’m biased, I happen to think that it’s delicious. So without further ado;

Ingredients;

• Gnocchi (store bought, or make your own)
• Two tins of diced tomatoes
• Half an onion, diced
• Spring onion, finely chopped
• 2 gloves of garlic/2 teaspoons of minced garlic
• 1 fresh chilli/1 teaspoon of minced chilli (to taste)
• 1 bunch of Fresh Basil
• Wholegrain mustard
• Tofutti ‘Better than Cream Cheese’ (or similar brand)
• Tofutti ‘Better than Sour Cream’ (or similar brand)
• Hot sauce/Chilli sauce
• Nuttelex (or similar Vegan margarine spread)
• Oregano
• Cracked Pepper
• Olive oil
• 1 large pot for the Gnocchi, 1 large saucepan/deep frying pan for the sauce, 1 frying pan/wok/saucepan for the burned butter gnocchi

1. In a large saucepan or deep frying pan on medium-high heat, add the garlic, chilli, onion and olive oil, and cook until the onions start to become fragrant and brown.
2. In a large pot, boil enough water to cover all of your gnocchi.
3. Add the two tins of diced tomatoes straight into the pan, and mix thoroughly. Leave to simmer for a few minutes with the lid covered to allow some of the excess moisture of the tomatoes to evaporate and reduce
4. Add two tablespoons each of the Tofutti Cream Cheese and Sour Cream, and mix in thoroughly until the sauce lightens in colour and gets a slightly creamy texture. Allow to simmer for a few more minutes, and then add the Wholegrain mustard.
5. Add a splash or dash (to taste) of the hot sauce, and stir in. Once this is applied, and you’re happy with the taste, add in the spring onion
6. Usually for me by now, the water in my pot is boiling. Add the Gnocchi, and stir a few times to ensure it doesn’t stick together. Once the Gnocchi floats to the top on it’s own, it’s cooked. Drain and set aside.
7. Chop half of the fresh basil into small-medium size leaves, and put into the sauce. stir through. Once it starts to shrink and absorb some of the sauce, reduce the heat and simmer. The sauce is now finished.
8. In a new pot/saucepan/pan, add a liberal amount of Nuttelex (several tablespoons), Oregano, cracked pepper, and finely chopped basil, and bring to a medium heat so the Nuttelex melts. It should be enough that when you add in your cooked gnocchi, it lightly coats all of it. Toss the gnocchi through this burned butter herb mix until it’s all coated, adding more Nuttelex or herbs as required.
9. Serve up and enjoy, adding fresh basil on top for garnishing, with cracked pepper to taste!

This is a very easy recipe to make, and a satisfying one too! I’ve always gotten positive reviews of this recipe, and the process of tossing the Gnocchi through the burned butter really makes the gnocchi come alive.

I’d love to hear back if anyone tries this recipe themselves, and hear their feedback on it.

Enjoy