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The Quick Roasting Tin: Gnocchi with Leeks, Chard and Cream recipe

Name: The Quick Roasting Tin: Gnocchi with Leeks, Chard and Cream
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4
Ingredients: olive oil (plus more for drizzling); 2 large leeks (or 3 small leeks); 200g rainbow or Swiss chard; 200g long-stem broccoli; 500g fresh gnocchi; 300ml single cream; 2 heaped tsp Dijon mustard; 1 tsp sea salt flakes; A pinch of black pepper; 120g firm goat's cheese log (I use Chavroux and have a little leftover); 25g Parmesan cheese, grated (optional); 40g panko breadcrumbs

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A creamy, satisfying tray bake made with gnocchi, chard, broccoli and leeks. A lovely combination of carbs and vegetables, topped with goat's cheese and panko breadcrumbs.

Prep10m
Cook50m
Total1h

pasta roasting-tin vegetarian

The Quick Roasting Tin: Gnocchi with Leeks, Chard, Broccoli and Cream

Update

Be mindful of the gnocchi you use. I recently bought Dell'Ugo fresh potato gnocchi, which was far too soft to withstand soaking and roasting. Better to use a more robust gnocchi like Rana or a supermarket's own brand.

This is a warming, comforting tin of joy that feels rich and carby but is balanced with plenty of green vegetables. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve made it.

As with The Quick Roasting Tin: Halloumi and Red Onion Salad with Giant Couscous, I’ve modified the recipe, swapping double cream for single cream and adding long-stem broccoli. It’s no longer a “quick” recipe (one that takes under 30 minutes) but to me it’s no more effort, feels a bit lighter and goes further; I get two dinner portions and two to three lunch portions out of one tin.

The original recipe specifies soft goat's cheese but I’m currently obsessed with Chavroux Goat's Cheese Log (with rind). I top this bake with thin slices and when the panko breadcrumbs are scattered over the entire dish before baking, I make sure that the goat's cheese is well covered. I love everything about this recipe, from the sweet roasted leeks to the chewy, creamy gnocchi, but the crispy breaded goat's cheese rounds are the best bit by a mile.

Notes

I use a 37 x 27 x 6.5cm roasting tin (affiliate link).

The first time I made this recipe I was stingy with the panko breadcrumbs thinking that 50g seemed like a lot. I've reduced the amount to 40g, which is still generous. Any less and the breadcrumbs disappear and can’t form a lovely crisp topping.

In the original recipe, the leeks, chard and gnocchi are briefly soaked in boiled water before they’re roasted to speed up their cooking time. I struggle to fit everything into my biggest bowl so I only soak the gnocchi. The vegetables go straight into the oven to give them a head start while I prepare the rest of the ingredients. I'm not precise about it but the leeks get roughly a 10 minute head start, then I add the chard and broccoli for another 5-10 minutes, then the entire dish is assembled and roasted.

Recipe credit

The Quick Roasting Tin (affiliate link) by Rukmini Iyer

Recipe

The Quick Roasting Tin: Gnocchi with Leeks, Chard and Cream

Prep10m
Cook50m
Total1h

Serves: 4-5

Ingredients

olive oil (plus more for drizzling)
2 large leeks (or 3 small leeks)
200g rainbow or Swiss chard
200g long-stem broccoli
500g fresh gnocchi
300ml single cream
2 heaped tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp sea salt flakes
A pinch of black pepper
120g firm goat's cheese log (I use Chavroux and have a little leftover)
25g Parmesan cheese, grated (optional)
40g panko breadcrumbs

Method

Fill and boil your kettle and preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil into a large, deep roasting tin (mine is 37 x 27 x 6.5cm).
Thoroughly wash 2 large leeks and slice into thin half moons. Add to the roasting tin, drizzle over a little olive oil and place into the oven to roast for around 10 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients.
Roughly slice 200g of rainbow chard and 200g of long-stem broccoli into 2” chunks. Remove the roasting tin from the oven, add the chard and broccoli then return the tin to the oven for another 5-10 minutes.
Put 500g of fresh gnocchi into a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Set a timer for 1 minute then when it sounds, tip the gnocchi into a colander to drain.
Combine 300ml of single cream in a bowl with 2 heaped teaspoons of Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon of sea salt flakes and a good pinch of black pepper.
Slice 120g of firm goat's cheese into thin rounds and place to one side.
Remove the roasting tin from the oven, tip in the gnocchi, pour over the cream mixture and give everything a gentle stir so that the gnocchi and vegetables are evenly distributed. Layer the goat's cheese on top of the ingredients and sprinkle over 25g of grated Parmesan (if using) and 40g of panko breadcrumbs, making sure to cover the goat's cheese well. Drizzle over a little olive oil and return to the oven to bake for around 25-30 minutes, or until the cheese and breadcrumbs have turned golden brown.