Sweet potato gnocchi

Method

Sweet potato gnocchi

  1. First you need to mash the sweet potatoes. The easiest way to do this is to place the sweet potatoes in an oven at 150°C/gas mark 3 and cook until soft.
  2. Then remove from the oven and cut in half scooping the flesh out and creating the mash.
  3. Leave on the side to cool down.
  4. When the mash is cold, add the flour, cheese, seasoning and egg and knead until all the ingredients hold together.
  5. You now need to create your gnocchi shapes.  We suggest cutting the dough on a flour dusted surface into smaller pieces to roll out into a long thin sausage approximately 1.5cm thick.
  6. Roll each strip in flour.
  7. Cut into 1.5cm long pieces and toss in more flour so that they don't stick together.
  8. Place a clean cloth over a tray, dust with flour before placing the gnocchi on it (the cloth will stop the gnocchi from sticking to the tray).
  9. Cook the gnocchi in a large pan of gently boiling salted water for approximately 3 minutes, or until they float to the top.
  10. Lift the gnocchi from the water with a perforated spoon, or colander, and toss in the sauce before serving.

How to cook the sauce

  1. Place ¼ of the butter in a sauté pan with the garlic and chilli.
  2. Cook until lightly golden, add the prawns and cook for a few more minutes.
  3. Add the wine and reduce by half.
  4. Turn the heat down before adding the ginger and the rest of the butter, carry on shaking the pan over the heat until the butter is totally melted and it has been amalgamated into the sauce.
  5. Add the cooked gnocchi and then the dandelion leaves roughly chopped.
  6. Toss and serve.

Tips

  • If picking dandelion from your garden, make sure it has not been sprayed with weed-killer first!
  • Dandelion can always be exchanged for baby spinach, pak-choi, or even purple sprouting.
  • Why not batch produce your gnocchi? We'd suggest placing it all on a freezer tray until totally frozen before you batch up into freezer bags or boxes.  You can then cook them from frozen as and when you need them.

© Felice Tocchini 2011

Food photography by Alex Miller.

 

Ingredients

For the gnocchi

300g sweet potato mash

200g plain flour, (plus extra for rolling and dusting)

30g grated parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper

1 egg yolk

Nutmeg to taste

 

For the sauce

80g butter

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

Chilli to taste (optional)

Handful of tender dandelion leaves (or spinach for the not so brave)

50g fresh ginger peeled and cut into little strips

200g raw tiger prawns, peeled and cut into pieces

100ml dry white wine

 

 

 
What does everybody have planned this weekend? If you're planning a Sunday roast try roasting sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes.