ESSENTIAL RECIPES- PORK
BACON & CHICKEN GNOCCHI
By Sifo @ sifo _ the _ cooking _ husband
This is an extract from Sifo The Cooking Husband Vol. 2 by Sinoyolo Sifo, published by Penguin Random House South Africa, retailing at R370.
Serves: 4 – 6
INGREDIENTS
• 500g ready-made gnocchi
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 250g bacon, diced
• 4 large chicken breast fillets, cut into bite-sized cubes
• salt & pepper, to taste
• 1 tablespoon garlic paste
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 tablespoon Cajun spice
• 1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes, optional
• 150ml fresh cream
• 2 tablespoons plain cream cheese
• ½ cup Parmesan, plus more to garnish
• 20g fresh basil, finely chopped, plus more to garnish
• 20g fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped
METHOD
1. Cook the gnocchi according to the package instructions, or until al dente. Once cooked, remove the gnocchi and transfer to a colander. Reserve about 1 cup of the cooking water and drain the rest.
2. In a large pan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and fry for 5 – 6 minutes, or until crispy. Remove the bacon and set aside.
3. To the same pan, add the chicken and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes over medium heat, or until golden brown all over. Add the garlic paste, paprika, Cajun spice and chilli flakes( if using), then stir. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
4. Add ½ cup of the gnocchi’ s cooking water, along with the cream and cream cheese. Stir until well combined. Stir through the cooked gnocchi and bacon so they are evenly covered in the sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add more cooking water to loosen it up.
5. Sprinkle in the Parmesan, basil and parsley, and stir until well combined. Lower the heat, cover with a lid and simmer for 2 – 3 minutes. Garnish with more Parmesan and basil. Serve warm.
CHEF TIP: You can use any of your favourite fresh herbs, but the combination of basil and parsley works beautifully.
BREAKFAST PIZZA
By Hinds Spices @ hinds _ spices _ the _ strong _ one
Makes: 4 pizzas
INGREDIENTS
For the pizza dough:
• 500g cake flour
• 10g yeast
• 25ml olive oil
• 350ml warm water
• 12g salt
For the toppings:
• 50g Rhodes Quality Tomato Paste
• 200g streaky bacon, cooked
• 200g cherry tomatoes, halved
• 250g mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 8 sprigs of fresh thyme, picked
• 250g mozzarella, grated
• 4 extra large eggs
• 2 teaspoons Hinds Spices Southern Grill All In One Seasoning
• 2 teaspoons Hinds Spices Mixed Herbs
• basil leaves, for serving
METHOD
1. Place all the pizza dough ingredients into a bowl or a mixer. Combine with your hands or the mixer’ s dough attachment. Once combined, knead for 5 – 10 minutes until soft and stretchy.
2. Place the dough in a large, lightly oiled bowl and cover with a cloth. Set aside to rise in a warm place. The dough should double in size( after approximately 2 hours). Once risen, knock it down with your hands and shape it into 4 balls.
3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough balls into 4 pizza bases.
4. Place each pizza on a lightly floured baking tray. 5. Preheat the oven to 180 ° C. 6. Spread Rhodes Quality Tomato Paste over the bases of the pizzas, right to the edges. Top with bacon, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, grated mozzarella and thyme. Crack an egg into the centre of each pizza. Sprinkle over Hinds Spices Southern Grill All In One Seasoning and Hinds Spices Mixed Herbs.
7. Bake for 15 – 20 minutes until golden and cooked. 8. Top with fresh basil and serve.
48 | Autumn 2026 • essentialflavours. co. za