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Thanks to our hearty spiced beef and tomato sauce, this dish has all the makings of classic, wintry comfort food. It’s the perfect match for soft, warm gnocchi and tender bites of zucchini—all finished with a sprinkle of tangy pecorino cheese.

Ethan Mick

with Zucchini & Pecorino

Spicy Beef & Gnocchi

Ground Beef

Gnocchi

Garlic

Zucchini

Tomato Paste

Mascarpone Cheese Or Crème Fraîche

Grated Pecorino Cheese

Sambal Oelek

Ingredients

Fill a medium pot with salted water; cover and heat to boiling on high. Wash and dry the **zucchini**; halve lengthwise, then thinly slice crosswise. Peel and roughly chop **2 cloves of garlic**.

Prepare the ingredients:

In a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat a drizzle of **olive oil** on medium-high until hot. Add the **sliced zucchini** in an even layer. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, without stirring, 4 to 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Transfer to a bowl and wipe out the pan.

Brown the zucchini:

In the same pan, heat a drizzle of **olive oil** on medium-high until hot. Add the **beef**; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently and breaking the meat apart with a spoon, 4 to 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Carefully drain off and discard any excess oil. Add the **chopped garlic**, **tomato paste**, and **as much of the sambal oelek as you’d like**, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, 1 to 2 minutes, or until thoroughly combined and the beef is cooked through. Add the **browned zucchini** and **3/4 cup of water**; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 2 to 3 minutes, or until the sauce is thickened. Turn off the heat.

Cook the beef & make the sauce:

While the beef cooks, add the **gnocchi** to the pot of boiling water. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, or until the gnocchi float to the top of the pot. Drain thoroughly.

Cook the gnocchi:

Add the **cooked gnocchi** and **mascarpone cheese or crème fraîche** to the pan of **cooked beef and zucchini**. Stir to thoroughly combine. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Serve the **finished beef and gnocchi** garnished with the **pecorino cheese**. Enjoy!