Sweet Potato Gnocchi [Recipe]

On a snowy day, with a bag full of sweet potatoes, what does one do? Make potato gnocchi, I suppose!

During the recent fake blizzard of 2015, I made these little potato dumplings. I am obsessed with gnocchi – it’s that one thing on the menu that I can’t refuse, no matter how good everything else looks. I always order it, but making it seems to turn a lot of people off. However, it is easy enough to make on a weeknight – snowstorm or not.

I served the gnocchi in a brown butter sage sauce which balances the sweetness. And of course, I always recommend a generous scoop sprinkle of parmesan cheese.

While sweet potato gnocchi is a bit of a twist on a classic, I’ve learned a few tricks from my dad who is pretty skilled at making potato gnocchi. One of the best tips I’ve learned is after baking the potatoes and scooping out the middle, always save the potato skins. Top with some cheese (and bacon if you have it) and pop it back in the oven for a few minutes. Boom! Instant appetizer – baked potato skins! (For sweet potato skins, a fun twist on these is using brie and turkey bacon – yum!)

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Sweet Potato Gnocchi

Ingredients

• 2 large sweet potatoes or 3-4 small
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 cups flour more for dusting
• 4 Tbs. butter
• 1 Tbsp. sage
• parmesan for serving

Instructions

1. Bake potatoes at 350 degrees for 40 minutes, or until potatoes are soft and cooked through.
2. Chop garlic fine (either in a press or food processor).
3. Once cool enough to handle, slice potatoes in half and scoop the inside into a bowl. Press through a ricer. (Alternatively, mash potatoes well with a fork.)
4. In a large bowl, mix the garlic and potato with egg, nutmeg, and salt. Add flour a little at a time, incorporating more until a dough forms. If dough is still sticky, add more flour. (Be careful to add just enough or gnocchi can become heavy.)
5. Roll out the dough into a thin strip. Cut gnocchi into small pieces and set aside on a tray of parchment paper.
6. Bring a pot of salted water to boil. Add gnocchi. Gnocchi is cooked when it floats to the top; scoop out with a slotted spoon or mesh skimmer.
7. Meanwhile, melt butter over medium heat. Brown the butter, careful not to let it burn, and add the sage. Add the gnocchi, toss to coat, and cook for one minute more.
8. Sprinkle with parmesan and serve.