Gnocchi with Sausage, Onions and Peppers

Back in business! My apologies for the longer than expected break between posts. Turns out moving into your first house is a lot of work! Who knew? Fortunately things for the most part went smoothly. We didn’t have to move in the midst of a 2-day snow blizzard (unlike our last move), so thus our moving truck didn’t get stuck in the snow, and the mover’s muddy boots didn’t muck up our floors and carpet before we even stepped foot into the new abode. So hooray! We love the house and while we still have some unpacking to do, we’re beginning to feel more settled and more at home. And nothing makes me feel more at home than cooking.

I knew this week would be busy with most of my energy focused on getting things organized, so I wanted to plan simpler dinners that would satisfy. Tonight’s was just that. A quick saute of sausage, onions and gorgeous bright red bell peppers tossed with fresh gnocchi (the vacuum-sealed store-bought kind). The gnocchi cooks in 2-3 minutes. The sauce comes together quickly which can be prepared while your water is coming up to a boil. And the finished dish is a delicious riff on the classic Italian-American street food combo of sausage, onions and peppers, most often eaten as a sandwich.

Chicken or turkey sausages would equally here if you want to lighten things up a little. Or do like I did and use half/half. You could toss the dish with pasta if you prefer that over gnocchi, just don’t tell my husband (huge gnocchi fan).

So stumbling and bumbling around the kitchen, be it from a tough day or having just moved and not knowing where you unpacked your spoons, this meal will ground you and remind you that nothing says home like good home cooking.

Bon Appetito!

GNOCCHI WITH SAUSAGE, onions AND PEPPERS

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 lb sweet Italian turkey, chicken or pork sausages
• 2 red bell peppers, seeded, cored, and sliced
• 2 onions, sliced
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped or 1 tsp dried basil
• 2 Tbs tomato paste
• 1 cup Marsala wine
• 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 package vacuum-packed gnocchi

1. Heat the oil in large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the sausages and cook until brown on all sides, 7-10 minutes. Remove sausages from pan.

2. Keeping pan over medium heat, add onions, peppers, salt and pepper and cook until softened and golden, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, oregano and basil and cook 2 minutes. Add tomato paste and stir to incorporate. Add marsala, tomatoes with juice and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a simmer.

3. Cut the sausages into 4-6 pieces each. Return sausages to pan. Simmer uncovered to warm through and thicken sauce, 10-15 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, bring large pot of water to a boil. Season with salt. Add gnocchi and cook according to package directions, about 2-3 minutes, until they float to the top. Add gnocchi to sausage and peppers and stir to combine.

Serves 3-4 as a main course.

Recipe adapted from Everyday Pasta by Giada De Laurentiis