This looks like a laborious fancy meal, but it’s really quick. The secret is you’re not really making complex “meatballs”, you’re really making meat “chunks”. And of course, gnocchi is a little more unusual potato-based delicate pasta that tastes delicious.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb gnocchi (check to make sure it’s dairy-free. some are, some aren’t)
• 1/2 lb ground meat (beef,  or buffalo)
• 1/2 lb  cremini mushrooms or shitake mushrooms cut into large chunks
• 3-4 sprigs whole green onions chopped, green parts separated from white parts
• 1-2 tbs chopped fresh parsley
• splash white wine
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1 tbs olive oil

Directions:

1. Put a pot of water on to boil (for the gnocchi).
2. Add olive oil and white parts of the green onions to a medium hot skillet, cook for about 1 minute.
3. Tear off chunks of the ground meat and compress into small balls using your hands, and place one-at-a-time in skillet. (These should be about the size of the gnocchis.)
4. Gently roll around or turn over the browning meat in the pan, so all sides cook evenly.
5. After about 5-7 of meat browning, add the chopped mushrooms.
6. Cook meat and mushrroms for about 3 minutes more, and then add the green parts of the green onions, the parsley, and white wine.
7. At this point, the water should be boiling, turn heat down to a very gentle boil and add the gnocchi.
8. Turn down  the skillet to low.
9. Remove the gnocchi from water, add to the skillet and gentle toss the dish.
10. Serve immediately.