Potato, that can be bound in creamy sauce. Who knew? Clearly the Italians did, but it remains doubtful that they make their own by hand every time. This is how fast, off the shelf, food should be. It will literally stroke your soul until all is well with the world. And sing you a lullaby whilst doing it.
Put a large pan of salted water on to boil. Theoretically, you should saltwater after it boils as it takes longer to boil with salt in. It is however horribly easy to forget afterward so go with whatever works for you.
Leeks. Lovely, silky, oniony things. Also nasty mean gritty things. One bit of grit in your mouth and it's game over for the entire meal. Grit in first bite; off to bed hungry and cross. Leeks often get unseen grit in the layers quite far down. The best way to deal with them is to slice them lengthways all the way down the middle and then chop. Put them in a large bowl, top up with water, and waggle them around for a good few minutes. Leave it to settle for a further few minutes. Pick out any bits that have dirt clinging to them; they are easy to spot as it is always the green tops. Using a slotted spoon, lift the leeks from the water and transfer to a clean receptacle. See the water that you left behind? Full of grit that you got rid of. Clever old you.
Heat a frying pan over medium heat and add the butter and oil. Both; why? Well, leeks love butter but it burns quickly. Oil takes far longer to burn (its called the flashpoint) so it helps the butter stay out of trouble.
Add the chicken, bacon, leeks and garlic. Season with a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally until the leeks are meltingly soft but not browned, and the chicken cooked through.
Add the peas and cook until heated through. Stir through the parsley and check your seasoning adjusting if necessary. Remove from the heat.
Pour the gnocchi into the boiling water and watch for when they float; this takes five minutes maximum. Once all of the gnocchi is floating, remove from the pan with a slotted spoon, straight into the sauce. It will be hot enough as the gnocchi will take it right back up to temperature.
Serve straight away, with freshly grated Parmesan if you like it. Think of Parmesan as a seasoning rather than an addition of cheese; it adds the elusive umami flavour that makes everything taste good.
Ingredients
Directions
Put a large pan of salted water on to boil. Theoretically, you should saltwater after it boils as it takes longer to boil with salt in. It is however horribly easy to forget afterward so go with whatever works for you.
Leeks. Lovely, silky, oniony things. Also nasty mean gritty things. One bit of grit in your mouth and it's game over for the entire meal. Grit in first bite; off to bed hungry and cross. Leeks often get unseen grit in the layers quite far down. The best way to deal with them is to slice them lengthways all the way down the middle and then chop. Put them in a large bowl, top up with water, and waggle them around for a good few minutes. Leave it to settle for a further few minutes. Pick out any bits that have dirt clinging to them; they are easy to spot as it is always the green tops. Using a slotted spoon, lift the leeks from the water and transfer to a clean receptacle. See the water that you left behind? Full of grit that you got rid of. Clever old you.
Heat a frying pan over medium heat and add the butter and oil. Both; why? Well, leeks love butter but it burns quickly. Oil takes far longer to burn (its called the flashpoint) so it helps the butter stay out of trouble.
Add the chicken, bacon, leeks and garlic. Season with a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally until the leeks are meltingly soft but not browned, and the chicken cooked through.
Add the peas and cook until heated through. Stir through the parsley and check your seasoning adjusting if necessary. Remove from the heat.
Pour the gnocchi into the boiling water and watch for when they float; this takes five minutes maximum. Once all of the gnocchi is floating, remove from the pan with a slotted spoon, straight into the sauce. It will be hot enough as the gnocchi will take it right back up to temperature.
Serve straight away, with freshly grated Parmesan if you like it. Think of Parmesan as a seasoning rather than an addition of cheese; it adds the elusive umami flavour that makes everything taste good.
