Bacon Gnocchi Bake
If you’re bored of the usual pasta bake and fancy a change, this is a great midweek crowd pleaser! Crispy bacon, broccoli and gnocchi in a creamy cheese sauce and a grilled mozzarella top! You can swap the mozzarella for grated cheddar if you prefer and add a pinch of chilli to the cheese sauce if you like it spicy..
What you will need
- Oil for frying
- 7 rashers of @spoiltpig streaky smoked bacon
- A small head of broccoli cut into medium florets
- 750g fresh gnocchi
- 100g tinned sweetcorn drained
- 2 x mozzarella balls, cut into slices.
For the cheese sauce:
- 60g butter
- 4 tbsp flour
- 750ml milk
- salt and pepper
How to prepare
Heat the oven to 180C. Heat a little oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Cut the bacon into bite size pieces and fry for 2 minutes on a medium heat until starting to crisp. Add the broccoli to the pan and fry for 5 minutes, stirring regularly until browning a little.
Add the gnocchi and sweetcorn. Stir until combined. Tip the gnocchi, bacon and veg into a large ovenproof dish and set aside. Add the butter to the pan and heat until melted. Stir in the flour until it is combined with the butter and heated through. Turn the heat to a lowish setting. Slowly add the milk a little at a time, bringing it to the boil each time before adding more. Stir continuously.
Add the cheese and stir until melted. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the cheese sauce over the gnocchi. It may help to add the gnocchi and veg to the cheese sauce. Stir to ensure that everything is coated in sauce, before returning it to the ovenproof dish. Lay the slices of mozzarella over the top, before baking for 25-30 minutes until the cheese is golden and crisp.
