A Spectacular Sweet Potato Gnocchi

I have several gnocchi recipes in my new cookbook Basta Pasta, Ancora as well as some great desserts.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 Lbs Potatoes – mixed 1 Lb Sweet and 1 Lb Russet
• 1 Egg
• 2 Cups All Purpose Flour
• Freshly Grated Parmesan or Romano
• Cheese – for serving
• Sea Salt or Kosher Salt – to taste

METHOD

1. Put the potatoes in a pot of salted water with enough water to cover them fully and bring to a boil over high heat.
2. When the water has reached the boiling stage, reduce to medium and cook until tender and a knife will pierce easily. (I cook the potatoes separately as they will reach tender at different times. However, you can use the same pot just check individually.)
3. Allow to cool enough to handle and then peel.
4. Using a ricer, pass the potatoes through and directly on to a lightly floured board, forming a mound and let cool just a little bit more.
5. Sprinkle 1 ¾ cups of flour all around the potato mound.
6. Make a well in the mound and add the egg and a bit of salt. Whisk the egg with a fork but then using your hands begin to incorporate the potatoes and then slowly incorporate the flour. Have a scraper nearby as this gets sticky.
7. Gather up all the little bits and combine them into the dough.
8. Add the remaining flour, slowly, and very lightly knead the dough until it forms a soft ball. It should not feel sticky at this point. Cover with a bowl or kitchen towel and let rest.
9. Sprinkle a few rimmed baking sheets lightly with flour or fine corn meal. (When I make enough for a family gathering of 20 or more, I put them on a large cloth light covered with very fine corn meal like my Nonna did.)
10. Flatten the dough a little and shape it into a sort of log.
11. Cut off a 3-inch piece and gently roll into a rope with a thickness a little wider than the size of your thumb or roughly ¾-inch.
12. Cut the rope into 1-inch lengths and then roll each along the backside tines of a fork. You do this to create an indentation and this will help to hold the sauce and also look good.
13. Repeat until all the dough is used, placing them on the cookies sheets until ready to cook. This might make approximately 160-170.
14. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat and cook the gnocchi in batches, stirring softly so that they do not stick together and using a skimmer transfer them to your serving bowl which should contain a little butter and the sauce you will be using over them. Toss gently and serve.
15. We will probably enjoy with a light lemon sauce which basically is; heat 3-4 tbs olive oil and 2 tablespoons unsalted butter in a small pan until the butter is slightly browned.
16. Add the zest of 3 lemons with a tablespoon or two of the lemon juice and cook, stirring, just until heated all the way through.
17. Pour over the gnocchi and serve at once, passing the cheese.

Buon Mangiata!