Gnocchi is always such a treat. Whether I order it out at a restaurant or decide to make it at home, gnocchi gives me a feeling of warmth and comfort.
I love traditional potato gnocchi (which I will definitely post a recipe for soon), but this sweet potato gnocchi is made with ricotta cheese. Ricotta gnocchi is much more delicate and soft. The sweet potato adds a beautiful color and sweet, rich flavor.
You can add any regular pasta sauce to gnocchi, but I like for it to be the star of the show. That's why I chose to saute it in a quick brown butter sauce with sage and pistachio nuts.
TIP: Gnocchi freezes really well, and sometimes is easier to boil from frozen. Try laying the gnocchi out evenly on a sheet pan and freezing it overnight, then move the gnocchi to a freezer safe bag and cook whenever you want!
Ingredients (makes 10-12 servings):
Gnocchi
3 cups pre-cooked mashed sweet potato, cooled
4 cups AP flour, plus more for rolling
12 oz whole milk ricotta cheese
1 tbsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 cup grated Pecorino Romano
For the sauce (for two servings):
3 tbsp butter
5-6 whole sage leaves
2 sprigs thyme
Salt
Black pepper
Red pepper flakes
Grated Pecorino Romano
Method:
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients for gnocchi with a spatula until well combined. You can also use an electric stand mixer with a paddle attachment.
If the mixture looks too wet or soft, you can add more flour but it will be softer than normal gnocchi dough.
On a lightly floured surface, form the dough into a smooth ball and cut it into 4 pieces.
Roll each quarter of the dough into a one inch log, then cut 1 inch pieces of gnocchi with a knife or pastry cutter.
This is totally optional: to create a design, you can use a fork and lightly press it down on the gnocchi while rolling.
At this point, you can individually freeze the gnocchi on a floured sheet pan, then place in a bag and save for future use. Or, you can place a floured sheet pan with the gnocchi in a refrigerator for 1 hour.
To cook, bring a medium pot of water to a boil and cook the gnocchi for 3-4 minutes or until they float.
In a large skillet on medium-low heat, melt the butter and begin to brown it. Your butter is finished browning when there are no more bubbles. Make sure to do this on a very low heat to prevent burning the butter!
Add the sage, thyme and red pepper flakes to the butter and fry the herbs for about 1 minute.
Add the gnocchi and toss it in the sauce. Season with salt, pepper and grated Pecorino Romano. Finally, serve!