$15 Fakeaway Friday: Italian-style gnocchi on a budget

In 2023 it seems almost impossible to save money, buy good food and treat yourself all at the same time. Enter Fakeaway Fridays, the Herald’s new series where we create fake takeaway (fakeaway) meals that not only are delicious and nutritious but also come in under $15 and serve 2-4 people.

So instead of dropping $50 for a takeaway meal this Friday night, why not try a Fakeaway! It’s easier than you may think with our simple tips and tricks and partially-made products already hiding on your supermarket shelves.

Picture this: it’s Friday night after a long week of work and the cold weather has you wanting nothing more than to curl up on the couch with a piping hot bowl of pasta.

But instead of ordering from your nearest Italian restaurant and spending your hard-earned dollars on delivery, why not save yourself some time and cash and turn to your own pantry?

Allow me to introduce you to my secret weapon - a $3 packet of gnocchi you can find at the supermarket on the dried pasta shelf. While you can’t beat fresh pasta, this supermarket substitute cooks in literally two minutes and once it’s coated in the tasty sauce, you’ll hardly be able to tell the difference.

Cooking the chicken in both butter and olive oil will ensure it gets crispy and golden and the cherry tomatoes add a pop of freshness to the richness of the cream sauce. Of course, you can add whatever you want to make it your own, whether it’s a handful of spinach, leftover veg or that jar of sundried tomatoes that’s been lurking in the back of your fridge.

It may not transport you to Tuscany but it will make your tummy and your wallet very, very happy.

Instead of going out for Italian this weekend, why not whip up your own pasta dish? Photo / Bethany Haverland

Creamy chicken and pesto gnocchi

Ingredients:

5g butter and a dash of olive oil, for cooking - about 20c

1 chicken breast - about $3.60

1 packet San Remo gnocchi - $3

1/2 container of pesto dip - $2.20

300ml cream - $2.70

1/2 pack of fresh cherry tomatoes - $2.50

Total: About $14.20

Method:

Dice the chicken breast into bite-sized pieces. Heat butter and oil in a deep frying pan, add the chicken and stir to cook until golden.

While the chicken is cooking, bring 3 litres of water to the boil in another pot.

When the chicken is cooked, add in the pesto and cream and stir, reducing the heat to simmer until the sauce thickens.

Cut the cherry tomatoes in half and stir into the sauce.

When the water has boiled, pour in the gnocchi and stir. When the gnocchi starts to rise to the surface, continue to boil for two minutes. The gnocchi should be cooked through.

Drain the gnocchi and pour into the sauce, stirring to coat. Divide between bowls and serve.

Serves 2