A Perfectly Simple Potato Mushroom Gnocchi to Make ASAP

Rip & Tan: Your simplistic approach to food as an everyday indulgence is so refreshing. Where did this personal ethos stem from? 

Odette Williams: Awww.. that’s very kind of you to say that. Thank you. Since I was a kid, if I knew there was a good meal waiting at the end of the day, it would be the thing that turned an ordinary day into a great one. I’m all about the simple pleasures that motivate us and make us happy. I think I got this from my dad who’d get giddy over a cappuccino and slice of something sweet. 

Rip & Tan: Can you walk us through your recipe development process? Where do you turn for new ideas? 

Odette Williams: Eating out and traveling really gives me the most inspiration. My friend went to Sardinia last summer, and she came home and told me about how vine ripe, juicy cherry tomatoes were served on a bed of ice. She didn’t have to say another word, I was sold and could see myself recreating this simple idea.

Recipe development is about fine-tuning, crossing t’s and dotting I’s. There’s a glut of recipes online, so I want to make sure that any recipe I publish we’ll be cooking in years to come. I prefer the classics over trends. I like my recipes to be forgiving enough that they can stand some life chaos.

Rip & Tan: On (what we’re assuming are rare) occasions when cooking feels like the last thing you want to do—what simple and satisfying dish are you whipping up? 

Odette Williams: Ha! You’d be surprised I get burned out just like everyone. The weekday meal slog is real. My Luxurious Pomodoro is a great red sauce that comes together in a flash and goes with any pound of pasta shape. Dollop of fresh ricotta. Mountain of Parmigiano. Glass of wine. Done. Or my 15-minutes Branzino with an Arugula Salad. 

Rip & Tan: Let’s talk about this gorgeous gnocchi recipe. What inspired its inception? 

Odette Williams: I love gnocchi. When you realize how easy it is to make at home, and how pillowy it is, you’ll be hooked. Creamy potatoes and crispy mushrooms go so well together. It’s comfort food. You’ll feel like you’ve cooked something you’d order at a restaurant.

Rip & Tan: Beyond the recipes themselves, what’s something we can look forward to in the pages of your new book, Simple Pasta? What significance do these dishes hold in your own life?

Odette Williams: I wrote the book during lockdown when we were all deprived of a good time with the people we love. So there’s a real feeling of la dolce vita. You’ll want to build Prosecco towers, wear a fabulous black dress, eat alfresco, buy a hot swimsuit or fabulous hat, travel to Italy…we shot half the book in Sicily.

There are many pasta dishes for many moments in life. Dinner for one, two, or a party. There are also cocktails, starters, and desserts so you don’t have to think about the menu. Just choose what you’re craving. 

Rip & Tan: Do you have a go-to dish you love cooking for yourself? What about when entertaining a large group? 

Odette Williams: For myself, Carbonara all day, everyday. For a group, lasagne, cannelloni, or a ragu.

Rip & Tan: What’s one main and side every home cook should have in their repertoire, if not memorized? 

Odette Williams: A really classic cocktail. It’s a treat when someone makes you a cocktail, and it puts folks at ease. Either schnitzel, or a roast chicken to be served with a simple salad. (And one killer pasta.)

Rip & Tan: Which three kitchen tools do you find yourself using most? Any pantry essentials you always have on hand? 

Odette Williams: Tools: Sharp knife, whisk, spider, microplane, large cast iron skillet, a large le creuset dutch oven.

Pantry: A few extra virgin olive oils, one for cooking, one for finishing. Good butter. Maldon Sea Salt. OO Flour. A few pasta shapes. Anchovies. Bread crumbs. Tinned Tomatoes. Lemons. Parmigiano-Reggiano. Booze; gin, bottle of red, white, and bubbles.

Rip & Tan: Any parting words of encouragement for hesitant home chefs? 

Odette Williams: If you don’t have homemade pasta in you, reach for the store-bought. It’s all good. But trust me, call a friend one weekend and give it a crack. 2023, they’ll be no turning back. Oh, and you can absolutely drink while rolling pasta!