Inspired by my recent visit to Nonna Maria’s, I was determined to try my hand at making gnocchi. As I really enjoyed sweet potato gnocchi, that seemed to be the best version to try.
I still consider myself a newbie in the kitchen and can be easily daunted by a recipe. I found a recipe in the The Meat Free Monday Cookbook for sweet potato gnocchi with rocket pesto and was quite pleased that it didn’t appear to be too technical. I can totally do this! So under the watchful and experienced eye of Ma, I gave it a try.
Oh and guess what else? The dish is also vegan!
Sweet potato gnocchi
625g sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
15g butter
75g plain flour
100g semolina
Freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Cook the sweet potatoes in boiling water for 10 minutes or until just tender. Drain and leave to cool.
- Mash the potatoes in a bowl until smooth. Add the butter, flour, semolina, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
- Mix to a dough. Divide the dough into four pieces and shape each piece (on a floured board) into a long roll about 2cm in diameter. Cut each roll across into equal-size rounds.
- Bring a large saucepan of salted water the boil. Drop the gnocchi into the water in batches and cook for 3-5 minutes until they rise to the surface.
- Remove with a slotted spoon and keep warm while you cook the rest.
- Once all the gnocchi are cooked, stir in the pesto and serve.
The gnocchi turned out really well, better than I expected. Afterwards Ma told me that some people have trouble making gnocchi – I was glad I wasn’t told that beforehand so I wasn’t put off my game!
You really have to make it and cook or freeze it straight away. I made it during the day and took some to a friend’s for dinner that night. Some of the pillows had stuck together while in the fridge but they were easy to reform with a little flour on my hands.
Rocket pesto
50g rocket
2 garlic cloves, crushed
3 Tbs pine nuts
100ml olive oil
Lemon juice, generous squeeze
- Place all the ingredients in a food-processor or pound with a pestle and mortar to make a coarse paste.
Homemade pesto tastes so fresh and it’s super easy to make! Rocket pesto has a peppery bite, a little different to the basil pesto I made over the holidays.
Double the recipe if you want more for the fridge as it’s great in sandwiches and on homemade flatbread pizzas. Next time I make pesto I’d like to try using different nuts – I think it would be great with cashews.
YUM! It was the best dish at Nona Maria’s for sure! Do you think you can freeze the dough as a ball, and then use it later…or would you have to make all the gnocchi upfront?
I made them all up and froze some, I think that way would be much easier
This looks fab Tara! I should give this a go! Love the colours as well
Oh yes you should! I’d love to hear how they turn out
Yum!! Have been thinking about making gnocchi ! Love the sweet potato idea
Sweet potato gives them such a beautiful colour and taste
This looks insanely good Tara! I have never attempted gnocchi before and I think I will start with sweet potato – I just love the flavours you have used here
Do try it Anna, it’s much easier than I anticipated!
Oh I’m so glad to hear it’s easier than it looks. I’ve always been a bit scared to make my own gnocchi! And I agree with Anna – sweet potato might help me ease into it! I love sweet potato
I always thought it would be tricky too, so happy to see that it’s not too hard
Love it
i will try it one day
That’s fantastic Julie!
Yum Tara, this looks delish! I love pesto gnocchi! The best I’ve ever had was when I was in Italy, but I always recreate it at home. I’ve never used sweet potato so this will be a nice change for me the next time I make it
although I might use basil instead of rocket for the pesto.
Thanks!
Oh I love basil pesto too. The rocket pesto has a nice peppery bite
Gorgeous looking gnocchi. Love the contrast in colours,
Beautiful for the eyes AND tummy!