I’m very fond of Italian food in general – pizza, ravioli, manicotti, you name it – but gnocchi is one of my favorite Italian dishes. Whether covered in a creamy tomato sauce or sprinkled with a bit of cheese, give me a bowl of it and I’m in heaven. I decided that it was high time I make my own, and since it’s fall, I threw in a couple of sweet potatoes…and let me tell you, I loved it even more than regular gnocchi! This recipe makes a ton – almost a gallon-sized freezer bag full – because I wanted to freeze most of it so that I’d have it on hand for dinner in a pinch. But, it’s also perfect for feeding a crowd! Once boiled, the gnocchi are cooked in a simple brown butter sauce, but of course you can top them with whatever you like.
- 3 baking potatoes
- 2 sweet potatoes (I used yams)
- 3/4 tsp nutmeg
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 2-3 cups flour
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan-Romano cheese
- 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Pierce the baking and sweet potatoes all over with a fork, and then bake, covered, in an 9×13″ baking dish 45 minutes to an hour.
Cool the potatoes before peeling.
Once peeled, put the potatoes through a potato ricer. I don’t have one, so I used a china cap that my mother-in-law gave to me when she was cleaning out her kitchen, and it got the job done.
In a medium bowl, beat together the nutmeg, egg, salt, and pepper. Then, put a large pot of salted water on the stove and bring it to a rolling boil.
Make a well in the center of the potatoes and pour in the egg mixture. Knead into the potatoes.
Add in the cheese and 2 cups flour, adding additional flour as necessary.
Turn out on to a floured surface and knead lightly just until smooth.
Divide the dough into 16 pieces.
Roll each piece to about 1/2″ thick, and then cut each piece into 1/2 to 1″ pieces. I’m not gonna lie, this part takes a while. But it’s so, so worth it. Put on some music and dance around while you’re doing it – it makes it more fun! Promise.
Use the back of a fork to press against each piece to form ridges on the gnocchi.
Move to baking sheets covered with parchment paper to get ready for boiling.
Add the gnocchi a few at a time to the pot of boiling water, stirring occasionally. Cook for about 3 minutes until they float. Using a slotted spoon, move them to a paper towel to dry, and then move them back to the baking sheets. At this point, you can freeze the gnocchi (first in one layer on the baking sheet; then you can transfer them to a resealable bag). Do not thaw before cooking.
For the ones you want to cook, first brown the butter in a saucepan: heat the butter and olive oil in a skillet with a sprinkling of salt and cook until browned, 1-2 minutes. Then, add in the gnocchi and cook until golden brown.
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