When fresh bell peppers, tomatoes and canned chipotles roast in plenty of olive oil, they become a sweet, smoky and spicy sauce. Use it to glaze gnocchi that have simultaneously crisped in their own pan and dinner is ready without much attention from you. Consider this recipe just a starting point: Add red wine vinegar for a tangy peperonatalike version, blend for a smooth sauce or top with nuts or cheese for protein.
(Walnuts, hazelnuts and pine nuts, or feta, ricotta and Cheddar would all be good.) Or simply use the template for roasting vegetables with flavorings and oil to make any number of produce-heavy sauces for coating noodles, beans, grains or chicken.
Gnocchi with Hot and Sweet Peppers
Ingredients:
• 1 pound (about 2 medium) red, orange, or yellow bell peppers, seeded and coarsely chopped
• 1 pint (about 10 ounces) small tomatoes, like cherry or Sungold
• 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 to 2 chipotle chiles in adobo, coarsely chopped (depending on heat preference)
• Kosher salt
• 2 (12- to 18-ounce) packages shelf-stable potato gnocchi
Directions:
Heat the oven to 450 degrees. In a 3-quart, oven-safe dish (like a 9-by-13-inch pan or a Dutch oven), combine the bell peppers, tomatoes, 1/4 cup oil, chipotle and 1 teaspoon salt. Stir to combine, then place on the oven’s center rack.
On a sheet pan, break up the gnocchi and toss with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil (no need to boil first). Season with salt and shake into an even layer. Transfer to the oven’s bottom rack. Roast both the vegetables and the gnocchi until the vegetables are softened and charred in spots and the gnocchi is crisp underneath and still squishy in the middle, 25 to 30 minutes (no need to stir partway through).
Transfer the gnocchi to the roasted peppers and stir until the gnocchi is glossy red.
Total time: 45 minutes, serves 4.
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