Fiery Sweet Potato Gnocchi

I am going to start off my first blog post by sharing a recipe that I recently tried and loved from Free People's blog, BLDG 25. This sweet potato gnocchi balances the natural sweetness from the sweet potatoes with heat from dried chili peppers, making it perfectly comforting for the fall and winter months. I made a simple salad of spinach and avocado tossed with balsamic vinegar to accompany this light meal and really enjoyed the marriage of these simple flavors. 

Fiery Sweet Potato Gnocchi adapted from BLDG 25
Ingredients:

2 Large Sweet Potatoes

1 Baking Potato

1 Egg

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

½ Tsp Red Pepper Flakes

½ Tsp Dried Oregano

Pinch of salt

All Purpose Flour

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375˚F

Peel and dice sweet potatoes, then mix with olive oil, red pepper, and oregano in a roasting dish covered with tinfoil.

 Place in the oven to cook until potatoes are very tender (about 30 min)

Boil the baking potato in a large pot of water until it is very tender (about 30 min)

Allow  the potatoes to cool. Once the baking potato is cool enough to handle, peel and dice it. Then throw both the sweet potatoes and the baking potato together into a large mixing bowl.

Potato masher, blend both together until fairly creamy
Using a wooden spoon, mix in egg and a pinch of salt.

Still using a wooden spoon, mix in flour until the mixture forms a dough. 

To roll out the gnocchi,  set up on a table or counter. Have flour and a fork on hand. Pour some flour on your work surface, and cover your hands so that the dough doesn’t stick.
 

First toll the dough into little logs about ½” thick. Then, using the fork, cut them into  1” segments. Then press the fork lightly on top to make the iconic little ridges. 

After the gnocchi is rolled out,  place the finished pieces on a towel until you are ready to cook them.

To cook the gnocchi, bring a pot of water to a boil. Then, drop in about 8 gnocchi at a time. Once they are cooked they will start to float, and you can scoop them out with a spatula or something with holes to let the water through.

Fresh Tomato Sauce adapted from BLDG 25 

Ingredients:

1 – 28oz Can of Whole Peeled Tomatoes

1 – 6oz Can of Tomato Paste

2 Extra Large Garlic Cloves (minced)

 10 Basil Leaves (torn)

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 Tsp Dried Oregano

10 Cherry Tomatoes

½ Cup 2% Milk

Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

Place olive oil, garlic, and half of the basil into a sauce pan to sauté.

Once the garlic is browned, lower the heat as low as it will go, add in tomato paste and whole peeled tomatoes. Sprinkle with oregano, add remaining basil, and stir.

Turn the heat up to medium. Once it starts boiling, lower heat and let simmer for about 25 minutes. Be sure to stir every 5-10minutes.

While the tomato sauce is thickening quarter the cherry tomatoes.

Add the cherry tomatoes into the sauce and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Turn off the heat and slowly stir in milk. 

I found that a simple salad tossed in a good quality balsamic vinegar is the perfect accompaniment to this modern rendition on a classic italian dish. 

Each serving is about 15 pieces. Drizzle with sauce, garnish, and serve! 

Bon Appétit!