Sweet Potato Gnocchi

With some leftover roasted sweet potatoes in my fridge, I decided to make a sweet potato gnocchi for dinner. Most people roll their gnocchi dough into a thick straw and cut the gnocchi; in Italy I was taught to hand-form them, so mine look less uniform.

For this batch I used 3 C of sweet potato puree. Add two pats of butter, one beaten egg, then mix in flour, slowly, until you get a medium (not stiff, but not too sticky either) dough. Usually I add about 3/4 C by the time I'm done.

Using about 1/2 teaspoon of dough, with floured hands, I form a ball and flatten it slightly with fork tines. I cook the gnocchi in chicken stock for added flavor. Once your broth - or water - has come to a boil, gently drop the gnocchi in the pot. They will float when they are cooked. Because this is a fresh pasta, it cooks very quickly, maybe a minute or two. Remove the gnocchi with a slotten spoon and place in a colander to drain a bit more.

Jake had a suggestion, so I gave it a whirl. I melted butter and dried oregano in a saucepan. Then I placed the gnocchi in the butter and let them brown slightly. I served them simply - with a sprinkling of sea salt, drizzled with olive oil, and topped with crumbled feta cheese.

Buon appetito!