HOLY SHEET (PAN)
Sheet Pans = Weeknight Dinner Saviors!
Hi friends—We’re back with another week of easy recipes to (hopefully) make your life better! If you like what we create for you every week, help us get the word out, and share it!
A TOTAL SHEET SHOW
AU: I promise that is the end of the “sheet” puns. Sheet pans are for more than just baking. Whether roasting vegetables, cooking full meals, or even organizing meal prep, they’re (aside from a knife and cutting board) probably the most-used tools in my kitchen.
EK: Mine too. They are the real workhorse in my kitchen!
AU: Maybe you only have some flimsy, banged up sheet pans that you’ve had since you got your first place? Well, now may be the time to upgrade…
MATERIAL
AU: You want to look for thicker, heavier sheet pans because they’re less likely to warp/bend under high oven temperatures (like broiling). Great sheet pans are made from either aluminum or aluminized steel, and come in a variety of sizes with galvanized steel rims for sturdiness. I’ve had my Chicago Metallic ones for at least a decade, without any issues. I’ve also seen many recommendations for Nordic Ware’s models.
I tend to shy away from nonstick baking sheets, because I use parchment paper or a nonstick silicone mat (like Silpat) if I’m worried about sticking.
And here’s something you may not have considered, the color of your sheet pan matters! Light pans reflect heat, while dark pans tend to absorb it, which can make a difference in your cooking. So if your sheet pans are darker (like mine), take extra care that you don’t burn the bottom of your food.
SIZE MATTERS
AU: What we refer to as a “sheet pan,” is actually a half-sheet pan (18” x 13”).
The larger full sheet pan (18” x 26”) is found in restaurants, bakeries, and catering kitchens and is so big, it would probably not fit in your home oven.
But sometimes you just need a smaller tool to do the trick… Like when you get a hankerin’ for some pizza rolls or chicken nuggies. This is when I call upon the quarter sheet pan (9.5” x 13”). It’s great because it will also fit in a lot of countertop toaster ovens, which can be a godsend when you don’t want to wait for your large oven to preheat (or heat up the whole house in warm weather).
Last, but not least, is the eighth-sheet pan (6.5” x 9.5”). It’s great for toasting nuts, seeds, etc. or to roast single proteins. I use them often for corralling tiny bowls when I’m making stir fry or homemade pizzas.
WHAT’S 4 DINNER?: SHEET PAN GNOCCHI “AMATRICIANA”
AU: I put “Amatriciana” in quotes, because Lord knows the Italians would kill me for calling this anywhere near a classic Pasta all’Amatriciana… One, anyone who hails from the town of Amatrice, where the dish originated, would never serve the classic sauce with gnocchi (bucatini is the classic). Two, I am not calling for the traditional guanciale (cured pork jowl), because this is about convenience. Three, most Italians would say that red onion and garlic don’t even belong in a classic Amatriciana (but they’re delicious and sort of “melt” in this recipe, so use ‘em!).
This is—instead—a sheet pan supper for when you want to combine a bunch of stuff on a pan, throw it in the oven, and walk away to do the 18 other things you need to accomplish before dinner (one of which, I hope, includes a glass of vino or some relaxation for the cook!).
Oh, and after 25-40 minutes of mostly-hands-off cooking, you’ve got a delicious dinner on the table with tons of layers of flavor. Cheers to that!
SHEET PAN GNOCCHI “AMATRICIANA”
As with most sheet pan dishes, cutting everything about the same size and using enough olive oil on the pan are key.
I recommend pancetta, but bacon will work just fine (will impart a stronger smoke flavor), as will prosciutto.
If you have a coarse-grind setting on your pepper mill, use it here and don’t skimp on the pepper! Combined with the red chili flakes, it adds a different layer of spice to the dish.
The combo of tomatoes and the lemon/parsley topping, add bright acidity that cuts through the richness of the dish, so don’t leave it out!
Serves 2 - 4
INGREDIENTS:
1 (12- to 18-ounce) packages shelf-stable or refrigerated potato gnocchi
2 pints small tomatoes, any combination of cherry, grape, or Sungold
4 ounces (1/4 pound) pancetta, diced or sliced ¼” thick
1 red onion, halved then sliced ⅛” - ¼” thick
4 large cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
3-4 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves stripped from woody stems
1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes, or more if you like it spicy
Zest of 1 lemon
1/4 cup chopped fresh Parsley
Pecorino Romano cheese, for serving
Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil
METHOD:
Preheat oven to 425ºF. Remove gnocchi from packaging and place in a large mixing bowl, gently breaking up any clumps with your fingers. Add tomatoes, pancetta, onion, garlic, thyme leaves and chili flakes to the bowl. Drizzle with a generous amount of olive oil, and a healthy pinch of kosher salt and black pepper. Toss everything together, so that it’s well-coated in oil.
Spread ingredients evenly in one layer on a rimmed sheet pan, and cook undisturbed for 25 minutes. This will give the gnocchi a chance to crisp on one side. After 25 minutes, stir/flip the pan’s contents and return to the oven another 10-15 minutes longer.
While the gnocchi and vegetables cook, combine the zest of one lemon and chopped parsley in a small bowl. Top each serving with some of the lemon/parsley mixture and plenty of Pecorino Romano cheese.
CRISPY SHEET PAN BRUSSELS SPROUTS AND BACON
EK: I loved the idea of Anthony’s Sheet Pan Gnocchi so much that I tested it while we were putting together this newsletter. I make a lot of sheet pan dishes, but I had never made a sheet pan pasta dish, and it blew me away! I will have it on rotation from now on. With the addition of the fresh lemon zest and parsley topping, it is light and fresh, and so complex in flavor that it’s hard to believe how quick and easy it is to make…
Another quick and easy standby for me is my Crispy Brussels Sprouts and Bacon. I love making this side dish with any grilled protein and it is a crowd pleaser for anyone who is on Team Brussels Sprouts. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like a little bacon with their Brussels sprouts!
This is one of those recipes that is so easy that it is almost embarrassing! :) It is essentially, Brussels Sprouts and bacon. And, because it relies on 2 ingredients, make sure that you buy the best thick-cut bacon that you can find. When I buy thick-cut bacon at the grocery store, I pick up Wright Brand Applewood bacon. It comes 8 slices to a pack and is the perfect thick cut.
If I am feeling fancy, I order bacon from The Baconer. It is a small husband and wife team of bacon lovers who make artisanal applewood-smoked bacon. It is very special and I am partial to their packages of thick diced bacon “lardons” that are smoky delicious and already prepped for you. Unless you live in the Bay area, you will need to buy them online, but they can be frozen until you are ready to use them.
I started making this Crispy Brussels Sprouts and Bacon dish one night when I had a bag of Brussels sprouts that needed to be cooked. I didn’t feel like washing a lot of dishes so I simply cleaned and trimmed the brussels sprouts and cut them in half. I tossed them with a little extra-virgin olive oil and seasoned them with salt, dried sage, dehydrated garlic, and white pepper. I chopped five slices of thick-cut bacon into chunks and set it aside. I lined the bottom of my quarter sheet-pan with a double-layer of parchment paper to make clean up easy. If you don’t have a quarter sheet pan—we highly suggest you buy one. If you have twice as many Brussels sprouts to cook, use a half sheet pan. I spread the brussels sprout halves in one layer and carefully distributed the chopped bacon evenly on top of the sprouts. That is really all there is to it, besides the roasting.
If you miss a bit of sweetness or acidity that is typically added to Brussels sprouts, you can drizzle the finished dish with a tiny bit of maple syrup or make a quick vinaigrette to use like a sauce. I personally love the simplicity of the crispy Brussels sprouts and bacon and my favorite bite is the individual leaves that fall off and become so crisp it’s like they are fried.
CRISPY SHEET PAN BRUSSELS SPROUTS AND BACON
Like many other sheet-pan dishes, this method is so easy that you don’t really need a traditional recipe, but for those of you who still like to see recipes written out, I’ve included one below.
Serves 2-4, depending on how much you like Brussels sprouts
1 pound Brussels Sprouts, cleaned, trimmed and cut in half
Extra Virgin Olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more if needed
1/8 teaspoon dehydrated garlic
1/8 teaspoon dried ground sage
1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
4-5 slices thick-cut bacon, sliced into strips and cut in half to make “bacon bits”
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Make sure that the oven shelf is in the center.
Toss cleaned and trimmed Brussels sprouts in enough olive oil to coat well but not drip, about 2 tablespoons. Mix salt, garlic, sage and pepper together and season sprouts well. Toss a few times to make sure the salt and spices are well distributed. You can also substitute your favorite seasoning here. Be careful not to use too much salt as the bacon is also salty. Set aside. Chop the bacon and peel any pieces that stick together apart and set aside.
Take a piece of parchment paper, I use sheets that are about 12 x 16 and I fold them in half to fit a 9 x 13 quarter sheet-pan. Place in the bottom of the pan. Spread the Brussels sprouts in a single layer. It doesn’t matter if the sprouts are cut-side up or cut-side down. And any leaves that have separated from the sprouts are a nice crisp bonus so use them as well. Once the sprouts are on the pan, scatter the bacon over top. You may need to separate pieces that are stuck together, but for optimal crispiness, you want to make sure that they are separated.
Place the sheet pan in the center of the oven and let cook for 1-2 hours. Check the progress after an hour, but mine took 2 hours to become super caramelized and the bacon cooked through and crispy. Note: There are many recipes that roast vegetables at 400°F for 30-40 minutes but I find a slightly lower temperature for longer gives me better results and prevents any burning.
Remove from oven when the doneness is to your liking and enjoy. If you sneak a few straight from the sheet pan, I don’t blame you!
MORE SHEET PAN GOODNESS…
If you are in the mood for baking, the original sheet pan cake is Texas Sheet Cake and it is my favorite chocolate cake. I have made many variations of it over the years including a Tex-Mex Chocolate Sheet Cake with a cinnamon accent. In my Steak & Cake Cookbook, I included a German Chocolate Variation because I think the light, moist cake makes the best base for the chunky sweet coconut and pecan German Chocolate Topping—plus I like serving it as a sheet cake and not a layer cake.
And, if you are sick and tired of mediocre delivery pizza, make your own on a sheet pan in less time that it will take to get it delivered using this simple sheet-pan pizza recipe.
And that’s What’s 4 Dinner! If you try these recipes, be sure to tag us on social media and use the hashtag #whats4dinner! Happy cooking and have a great week!! xo