The gnocchi with crispy chili sauce are on the table in 20 minutes. Honest.

Many factors can influence the time it takes to prepare a recipe, including cooking experience, available tools and appliance variations, but this recipe from the cookbook by Ruby Tandoh, ‘Great British Bake’ finalist Off,” the soon-to-be-released “Cook As You Are,” is the real deal.

All you need are two strong-tasting common ingredients, a little shortening, and a hot skillet, and in about 10 minutes you’ll have a salty and spicy sauce to accompany your favorite pasta.

To make the dish, you first put the gnocchi to boil. Then you pour capers and crispy chili into melted butter in a pan and sizzle them together for a few minutes. When your sauce is nice and hot, you add the cooked pasta to the pan, with a little reserved pasta water if needed, and toss and stir until well coated and smooth with the oil.

You put it in a bowl, top it with grated parmesan and you’re off to the races.

6 weekday pasta recipes that make dinner a snap

I had to buy gnocchi from the supermarket, but I had everything I needed to make this dish, including Tandoh’s recommended brand of crispy chili, Lao Gan Ma.

If you don’t keep crispy chili at home, consider doing so. It and other flavorful condiments are key to quick cooking on weeknights, as they are an effortless way to boost umami and, in this case, add texture as well.

How much do I use it? When our staff picked our favorite condiments of 2020, Crispy Chili was my obvious choice, as you can toss it with noodles or veggies, stir it into eggs and stir-fries, and pour it over soups, like soup. coconut corn that recently prompted my colleague Aaron Hutcherson to write an introduction to the history and uses of chili crisp.

The world of crispy chili is vast. These are our favourites.

In the article, he explains that the mixture of oil and fried spices has been a staple in Chinese kitchens for generations and gained traction with home cooks around the world when Lao Gan Ma started selling it in jars in the 1990s. He also names his four main brands, which is helpful because with so many others on the market right now, you need guidance on getting one that has just what you need. it takes spice and crunch for you.

Can cooking serve as a balm for depression? For a British author, it saved his life.

And this Tandoh cookbook? It will be released in the United States in November. I’ve been tempted by other recipes in the low effort cooking chapters so maybe I’ll come back to them but I couldn’t resist sharing this recipe now because it really is a dinner in a few minutes.

Gnocchi with crispy chili sauce, capers and parmesan

Storage: Refrigerate up to 3 days.

Or buy: Crispy Chili can be found in Asian markets, well-stocked supermarkets, and online.

Do you want to save this recipe? Click the bookmark icon under the serving size at the top of this page, then navigate to My Reading List in your washingtonpost.com user profile.

Evolve this recipe and get a printable desktop version here.

• 2 pounds of potato gnocchi
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (can substitute vegan butter, such as Miyoko brand)
• 3 tablespoons capers in brine, well drained, plus more to taste
• 2 tablespoons crispy chilli
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated parmesan (can substitute vegan parmesan)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the gnocchi and cook according to package instructions.

Reserve 1/4 cup cooking water and drain the gnocchi.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Once it sizzles, add the capers and crispy chili, making sure you get dollops of crispy chili flakes – not just the oil on top – and cook, stirring constantly, for about 30 seconds . Add the gnocchi to the pan, along with a few tablespoons of the reserved pasta water, then stir or shake the pan until the gnocchi is well coated and everything is hot, about 1 minute, adding more water as needed if pan is dry.

Remove from the heat and serve immediately, with the parmesan on the side.

Calories: 528; Total fat: 18g; Saturated fat: 8g; Cholesterol: 35mg; Sodium: 1269mg; Carbohydrates: 79g; Dietary fiber: 8g; Sugar: 0g; Protein: 16g

This analysis is an estimate based on the available ingredients and this preparation. It should not replace the advice of a dietitian or nutritionist.

Adapted from “Cook as you are” by Ruby Tandoh (Alfred A. Knopf, 2022).

Tested by Ann Maloney; questions by e-mail to [email protected].

Evolve this recipe and get a printable desktop version here.

Browse our recipe finder for over 9,900 post-tested recipes.

Did you make this recipe? Take a picture and tag us on Instagram with #eatingvoraciously.