Today we’re making gnocchi- the fluffy, tender little dumplings of potato goodness that get cooked and eaten like a big old bowl of pasta and make you feel like an Italian grandma regardless of your apparent lack of Italian heritage.
But, instead of just using russet potatoes to make our gnocchi, because I can’t leave well enough alone, we’re using PURPLE SWEET POTATOES.
You know, the shockingly bright purple, starchier-than-your-average-sweet-potato relative of the orange tubers that usually grace the shelves of the grocery store, that get me SO EXCITED this time of year.
They just arrived at my local grocery store, and as soon as I saw them I filled my basket and started dreaming up these bright purple pillows of pasta goodness. No, I do not understand the ways in which my brain works. But here we are.
The color is such a vibrant purple, it almost seems fake. It legit looks like you decided to serve up a plate of purple play-dough as a joke…except, these babies are 100% real.
Mother Nature’s coming in for the win with the most shockingly beautiful colors, yet again.
Homemade gnocchi might seem like a complicated process, but it’s really not all that difficult. In fact, it has a lot more in comon with the aforementioned play-dough than I expected.
Essentially, we’re mixing up a dough, rolling it into logs, cutting into little squares, boiling, then tossing in some melted butter…with a few more flavor-boosting additions along the way.
The way to make sure your gnocchi comes out perfectly fluffy every time is simply to make sure you don’t overmix the dough. When using sweet potatoes, the way I’ve found works best to ensure tenderness is to simply leave the sweet potatoes unmashed before mixing the dough, and mash them into the flour as you mix the dough.
Here’s how to make purple sweet potato gnocchi at home:
STEP 1: Bake your potatoes. I like to just poke a few holes in the skin, place right on the oven racks, and bake until tender. Depending on the size of your potatoes, this should take between 45-60 minutes. Pro Tip: you can do this a few days in advance, if you want to!
STEP 2: once cooled, peel the potatoes and toss directly into a bowl with flour, egg, and salt, then use a fork to mash/mix everything together to form a dough.
STEP 3: cut the dough into six pieces and use your hands to roll each piece out into a log on the countertop, then cut into squishy little squares. If you’re a legit Italian grandma you might have one of those gnocchi boards laying around to shape them, but since I’m not, I just leave them square and embrace their rustic cuteness.
STEP 4: boil until they float (maybe like 90 seconds), then toss in a pan with your favorite sauce (in this case, browned butter, salt, pepper, rosemary, and toasted hazelnuts).
THAT’S IT.
I know gnocchi can seem pretty intimidating, but I don’t think it should be. It’s such a humble, rustic dish, made with super simple ingredients and absolutely no fancy equipment or complicated techniques. As long as you’re starting with previously roasted sweet potatoes, you can literally have these on the table in 20 minutes, flat.
Translation: YOU. CAN. DO. THIS.
Let’s make gnocchi!
If you make this recipe, be sure to let me know how it turns out! Leave a comment below, or take a picture of your bright purple gnocc and share it with me on Instagram so I can see!
Homemade Purple Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Browned Butter and Hazelnuts
Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 3-4
Ingredients:
- 1 lb roasted purple sweet potatoes
- 3/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
for serving
- 8 tablespoons salted butter
- 1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped
- 1 large sprig fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions:
- Fill a large pot halfway with water and place on the stove over high heat.
- Cut your potatoes in half and scoop the soft flesh out into a bowl, discarding the skins. Add flour, egg, and salt, and use a fork to mash the potatoes into the flour and mix the batter into a dough. If needed, switch from the fork to your hands to fully combine everything and form a ball. Unless absolutely necessary (i.e. it’s a completely sticky mess- note, this has never happened to me with these measurements), DO NOT add more flour to the dough. It should be tacky and soft, and adding more flour will just make the gnocchi dense.
- Sprinkle a few tablespoons of additional flour onto your counter and place the ball of dough on the counter, dividing it into 6. Roll each piece out into an 8-10 inch rope, then use a knife to slice into 1-inch pieces.
- Once all dough has been rolled and cut, prepare the sauce. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat, then add hazelnuts and cook 2-3 minutes, until butter begins to brown. Turn off the heat and add rosemary, and let sit while the gnocchi cooks.
- Drop the gnocchi into the pot of boiling water and boil for 1-2 minutes, or until floating. Use a slotted spoon to scoop out the cooked gnocchi, and transfer directly to the sauce. Turn the heat back to medium and toss to combine, adding pinches of salt and pepper, to taste. Serve immediately.
NOTES:
You can bake the sweet potatoes up to 5 days in advance before making gnocchi. To do so, simply place in a 350 degree oven until completely tender, then let cool and transfer to the fridge until ready to use. Gnocchi can be made in advance and kept uncooked in the fridge for up to 2 days, or the freezer for several months. Be sure to toss them well with flour and spread them out in a single layer before storing so they don’t stick together! Any sauce you love on sweet potato gnocchi can be used here in place of the butter/hazelnut one listed in the instructions!