Sweet Potato Gnocchi

by LEON BOUTEILLER

I never know what will inspire me when creating a recipe for this column. Sometimes the inspiration comes from the internet, from a podcast, on the radio or in a magazine. I consider their beginnings in my head, sometimes for days, before I go to the kitchen to work it out. Even then it may take a hard turn and become something other than intended.

Take for instance this week’s recipe. Originally I heard someone talking about a pasta dish with peas. Then I had the idea for gnocchi after I saw an article about sweet potatoes. And this is the hard turn, I decided to make it a pesto gnocchi with purple sweet potatoes and pistachios.

Instead of the standard Russet potato for the gnocchi, purple sweet potato is the base; that is what I had in the pantry. Basil is the flavor base for the pesto but fresh basil is hard to acquire this time of year so fresh parsley becomes a partner. I always present recipes easy to prepare or with ingredients easily found. I also try to keep the recipe cost effective.

SWEET POTATO GNOCCHI with PISTACHIO PESTO
Serves 6-8

Ingredients for the gnocchi:

2 ¼ pounds purple sweet potatoes, you want to end up with about 2 pounds of prepared potato
3 large egg yolks
1 to 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour depending on how moist the potatoes are, plus more for working the dough
2 teaspoons salt
A few gratings of nutmeg

Ingredients for the pesto:

1 cup packed fresh flat leaf parsley
1 cup packed fresh basil
¼ cup roasted pistachio kernels
½ cup grated parmesan
¾ teaspoon salt
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind

Ingredients for service:

1 ½ cups frozen and thawed, or fresh shell peas
½ cup or more of the pistachio pesto
The reserved cooking liquid
Grated or shaved Parmesan cheese
Roasted and chopped pistachios

Method for the gnocchi:

Preheat your oven to 400F degrees
Clean the sweet potatoes, then place them on a sheet pan and roast until completely cooked through, about 45 minutes, depending upon the size of your potatoes. Remove from the oven, slice in half lengthwise to allow to cool quickly
Scoop the potato flesh into a potato ricer or food mill and press through into a large bowl
Add the egg yolks, salt and nutmeg to the bowl and begin to cut and fold together with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and continue folding until the dough is well mixed and only slightly sticky. You may need to add a little more flour. The dough should hold together, but not be stiff
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil to cook the gnocchi
Assemble an ice water bath to chill the gnocchi
Place the gnocchi dough on a well floured work surface
With your hands, work the dough into a rectangle about 9 inches long by 5 inches wide and 1 inch tall
With a bench scraper or metal spatula, cut the dough lengthwise into 4 equal strips
Roll each strip into a rope about 12 inches long and about 3/4 of an inch thick, dusting with flour as needed to prevent sticking
Cut each rope into 1 inch segments and place on a lightly floured sheet pan
Place about 8 to 10 gnocchi at a time in the boiling water and cook until they float, and then for about 45 seconds more
Remove to the ice bath and repeat with the remaining gnocchi. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid
When cool, drain the gnocchi and let rest on a sheet pan lined with paper towels

Method for the pesto:

Place the pistachios and Parmesan in the bowl of a food processor with a metal blade and process until roughly chopped
Add in the salt, basil, parsley and garlic
With the processor on, drizzle in the olive oil and process until fairly smooth
Scrape down the sides of the bowl and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper then process for a few moments more with the lemon zest and until the pesto is well incorporated

To serve:

Place the peas, 1/2 cup of the pesto and the reserved cooking water into a sauté pan large enough to accommodate all servings
Bring the pan to a simmer and then add the gnocchi and continue to cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir gently to coat, adding salt and pepper to taste
Divide evenly into individual serving bowls and top with some chopped pistachios and grated or shaved Parmesan

I promise you the written recipe to make gnocchi is far more daunting than the actual process. Once you get the hang of it, you may well be searching for other recipes for gnocchi and the myriad of sauces that go with them. The gnocchi can be cooked ahead of time and refrigerated for a day or two or kept frozen until needed. The pesto as well can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.

Enjoy!