Peek-a-boo Squares

Gnocchi Meat Lovers Skillet Pizza

Most of the time, I like to make things from scratch. I love fresh pasta, and making a big batch of marinara is a great Sunday activity. (Don’t get me started on bolognese…….) However, after a long day of work, sometimes all I want is comfort food fast. In comes skillet meals.

One-skillet meals mean less clean up, and generally less cooking time. You could certainly make your own gnocchi and tomato sauce for this recipe. But, there is no shame in using store-bought, either!

I love using gnocchi for this. The lovely texture, the creamy bite, crisping it up in the pan before cooking it in tomato sauce- heaven! The nice thing about gnocchi is that they cook in very little time and do not require that you add additional water, like one-pot recipes that use dried pasta. 

The red pepper, onion and zucchini add some lovely flavor and texture to the sauce. Feel free to reduce the amount of sausages you use and add another zucchini instead, if you’re aiming to be healthier. If not, however, be a little more generous with the cheese. I tend to always have Parmigiano-Reggiano, Pecorino-Rmano and Asiago cheese on hand, but feel free to leave out what you do not have. However, please use the kind of cheese that you need to grate; cheese from a shaker can does not qualify! The difference in taste between the cheese you buy in blocks versus a can is astronomical.

Try this meal out when you are pressed for time but still crave something cheesy, carry, and pizzalicious!

Ingredients:

5 Italian sausages links, casing removed (hot or sweet, or a combination)

1 small sweet onion, diced

1 zucchini, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 minced garlic clove

1 17.5 ounce package gnocchi (I used De Cecco brand)

1 25.5 ounce jar tomato sauce (any variety- marinara, etc- I used vodka cream)

12 to 15 pepperoni slices

1/4 cup shredded mozzarella

1/4 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano, pecorino-romano, and asiago

freshly grated pepper

salt

Parsley, to garnish

Method:

In a 12 inch cast iron skillet, add your 5 sausage links with their casings removed. Turn your heat on to medium high, and preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Break your meat up with a wooden spoon while pan heats up. Breaking your meat up while cold will allow you to make smaller pieces. 

Once your sausage is browned, add your diced onion, red pepper and zucchini. Saute for a few minutes until the onion is translucent. Add a small amount of salt and plenty of pepper. 

Turn your heat to medium, Add the gnocchi and sauté them with the meat and vegetables for a few minutes. Pour in your jar of sauce and bring to a simmer. Top with your cheeses and pepperoni slices. 

Turn of your stove and place your skillet into the oven. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the mixture is bubbling and the cheese and pepperoni have begun to brown. If needed, put it under the broiler for a minute or two to finish. Garnish with parsley. Let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!