Sweet Potato Gnocchi
I love the sturdy squashes (zucca) from Italy. My favorite is zucca gialla with its bright orange flesh and woody stem. I use it for soup, for fillings especially in tortelli zucca and for making gnocchi. To approximate the flavor and sweetness of this squash, use sweet potatoes, which Italians call patata Americana in this recipe. Sweet potatoes are cultivated in Italy but used occasionally in cooking.
Serves 8
Ingredients
- 2 pounds sweet potatoes (2 large)
- 2 cup (plus extra if needed) King Arthur durum flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup crushed amaretti cookies
- 1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts, hazelnuts or pistachio nuts
- Grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano cheese curls*
- Ingredients
Directions
- Roast or microwave the potatoes. When cool, peel, rice and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
- Dump the flour on a work surface and add the salt and nutmeg. Mix with your fingers to combine. Make a well with the flour and place the potatoes in the center of the well. Mix with your hands to combine the ingredients to make a soft but not sticky dough. Add flour a little at a time if necessary to achieve right consistency.
- Cover dough and let rest for 30 minutes.
- Divide dough into six pieces. Work with one at a time keeping the rest covered. Form the dough into ropes under the palms of your hands the thickness of your middle finger.
- Use a knife or bench knife to cut 1/2-inch pieces. Roll each piece off the tines of a fork or butter paddle. As you form them, place them on towel-lined baking sheets in single layers.
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Keep warm.
- Cook the gnocchi in batches in 4 quarts of boiling salted water. When they bob to the top they are cooked.
- Pour the butter into a casserole dish large enough for half of the recipe amount.
- Scoop the gnocchi from the water and shake well to eliminate excess water. Place them in casserole dish and coat well with butter mixture. Add the amaretti cookies and nuts and toss well.
- Sprinkle with the cheese curls and serve.
- *To make cheese curls, use a vegetable peeler to make long continuous thin slices of the cheese.
This recipe was featured on Season 23 - Episode 2307.
Comments
armymum
Loved the show today on Channel2 with the food bloggers! Delighted to see this recipe again. I went to the cooking class in May at the Tuscan Kitchen, this recipe was my favorite of the whole night! I have amaretti on the counter to make this but had been hesitant because I was afraid about adding enough / too much flour and if they would fall apart in the water when I went to cook them. The tip about boiling a few “sample” ones solves that problem. Thank you! I cant wait to make these and enjoy them again!!!
Barb
Just wondering if you can freeze this pasta? If so, what is the best way to do it?