Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Sweet Potato Gnocchi


PB260832, originally uploaded by Kim De.

Another recipe I wanted to share from Thanksgiving is this Sweet Potato Gnocchi. My first attempt at making this didnt go badly. The gnocchi was fun to make. I did it several days in advance and froze it until ready to boil. It was a bit sticky and starchy causing the dumplings to stick together some, but upon adding the sauce and stirring a bit, I was able to separate them.

The flavor was great, sweet and savory at the same time. It has made me interested in making more varities - spinach, ricotta cheese, white potato - the list is long and will keep me busy for awhile. If you like a slightly sweeter side dish, this is a good one to try. And for ease, try using store bought sweet potato gnocchi with the butter sauce below.


Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Maple Cinnamon Sage Brown Butter Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

For the Gnocchi:

* 2 pounds sweet potatoes
* 2/3 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
* 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus 1/3 cup for the work surface

For the Maple Cinnamon Sage Brown Butter:

* 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
* 20 fresh sage leaves
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 2 tablespoons maple syrup
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper


For the Gnocchi: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Pierce the sweet potato with a fork. Bake the sweet potatoes until tender and fully cooked, between 40 to 55 minutes depending on size. Cool slightly. Cut in half and scoop the flesh into a large bowl. Mash the sweet potatoes and transfer to a large measuring cup to make sure the sweet potatoes measure about 2 cups. Transfer the mashed sweet potatoes back to the large bowl. Add the ricotta cheese, salt, cinnamon, and pepper and blend until well mixed. Add the flour, 1/2 cup at a time until a soft dough forms. Lightly flour a work surface and place the dough in a ball on the work surface. Divide the dough into 6 equal balls. Roll out each ball into a 1-inch wide rope. Cut each rope into 1-inch pieces. Roll the gnocchi over the tines of a fork. Transfer the formed gnocchi to a large baking sheet. Continue with the remaining gnocchi.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the gnocchi in 3 batches and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 5 to 6 minutes. Drain the gnocchi using a slotted spoon onto a baking sheet. Tent with foil to keep warm and continue with the remaining gnocchi.

For the Brown Butter Sauce: While the gnocchi are cooking melt the butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. When the butter has melted add the sage leaves. Continue to cook, swirling the butter occasionally, until the foam subsides and the milk solids begin to brown. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the cinnamon, maple syrup, salt, and pepper. Careful, the mixture will bubble up. Gently stir the mixture. When the bubbles subside, toss the cooked gnocchi in the brown butter. Transfer the gnocchi to a serving dish and serve immed

2 comments:

  1. Oh yeah. This is what I'm talkin' about.

    Gave me goosebumps when I read the recipe.

    CanNOT wait to try this!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ok, this one is A-MAZING!!! Make it YESTERDAY!!

    ReplyDelete