A hearty but not-too-heavy, one-skillet summer dinner that’s vegetarian too. Storebought gnocchi cook atop an eggplant and tomato sauce. Red pepper flakes give the dish a touch of heat that’s tempered by creamy ricotta when served.
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1 large eggplant (1 pound), stem removed, cut into ½-inch pieces
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ⅛ teaspoon red-pepper flakes
- 1 ½ pounds large tomatoes (3 to 4), cored and diced
- 1 pound fresh or frozen gnocchi
- ¼ cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves, plus more for serving
- ½ cup ricotta
Directions
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Heat 1/4 cup oil in a large skillet over medium. Add eggplant, season generously with salt, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
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Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil to skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and red-pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 minute. Add tomatoes and simmer, stirring, until slightly thickened, 5 minutes. Return eggplant with any juices to skillet; season with salt. Add gnocchi in a single layer atop eggplant, cover, and cook until tender, 6 to 8 minutes (or, if using frozen, about 1 minute more). Sprinkle with basil and serve, topped with a spoonful of ricotta, more basil leaves, pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil.