Key recipe - sweet potato gnocchi

Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes & Spinach

You may have leftover gnocchi from this recipe, depending on the size of the sweet potatoes and on your appetite. Store any extra raw gnocchi in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week or freeze for up to a month.

If you are short on time, use shop-brought gnocchi instead of making your own (although it is quite a fun activity and kids enjoy getting involved too). You can find good gluten-free options in the shops too. If using shop-bought, start the recipe at step 5.

SERVES 4

Ingredients

If you wish to increase the protein content of this meal, serve alongside some fish (tuna would work well), chicken, feta / goat's cheese or extra pine nuts.

Gnocchi

• 2-3 large sweet potatoes, giving approx 475g puree/mash (2 cups)
• 40g parmesan, finely grated (½ cups)
• 230g white spelt flour or plain gluten free flour if necessary (2 cups)
• Salt
• Semolina - to roll the gnocchi

To serve

• 300g cherry tomatoes (2 cups)
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp pine nuts
• 150g spinach (5 cups)
• 20g parmesan, finely grated (3 tbsp)
• Salt and pepper
• Handful of fresh basil, chopped

Method

Preheat the oven to 200ºC (400ºF). Prick the sweet potatoes all over and place onto a baking tray. Bake for 1 hour or until cooked through. As soon as the potatoes come out of the oven, slice them in half and open them up to release as much steam as possible. Turn off the oven and leave the potatoes to cool completely.

Once the potato has cooled, scoop the flesh out of the skins and pass through a potato ricer or sieve to form a smooth puree. Lay out a double layer of kitchen towel and loosely spread the potato across it. Lay another double layer of kitchen towel on top and pat down. You are aiming to get rid of as much liquid as possible so repeat this step a couple of times if it still feels very wet.

Tip the potato into a mixing bowl and add half of the flour, the parmesan and a good pinch of salt. Knead together into a smooth dough, adding extra flour as you need it. Try not to add any more flour than completely necessary as this will result in tough gnocchi. The dough should be soft and slightly sticky.

Dust the work surface with a little semolina, divide the dough into 8 and roll each piece into a sausage shape, around 2cm thick. Use a sharp knife to cut the dough into 2cm square pieces. Place the cut gnocchi onto a large plate or baking tray and dust with more semolina. You can leave the gnocchi as they are or if you would like to create the classic ridges, roll each piece of gnocchi over the back of a fork, pressing down gently to create the grooves.

Turn the oven (back) on and preheat to 180ºC (350ºF). Lay a large flat knife over 2 of the garlic cloves, in their skin, and crush by pressing firmly with the heel of your hand. Place the crushed garlic and cherry tomatoes in an oven tray and drizzle with 1 tbsp of olive oil and season well with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until softened and juicy.

Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan over a high heat for 2-3 minutes, tossing them regularly, until golden. Watch them carefully as they will burn easily. Tip onto a plate and set-aside for now.

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and tip in the gnocchi. It is best to do this in batches rather than overcrowding the pan. As soon as the gnocchi float to the surface, scoop them out of the water with a slotted spoon and onto a plate. Repeat with the rest of the gnocchi. Reserve some of the water from the pan.

Heat the remaining olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium/high heat and add the gnocchi. Fry for about 3 minutes, turning frequently, until golden brown. Try not to cook them for too much longer than this or they will be tough.

Tip the gnocchi out onto a plate and add the minced garlic to the pan. Stir for a few minutes to soften then add the spinach and a splash of the gnocchi water. Once the spinach has wilted, add the roasted tomatoes, toasted pine nuts and parmesan, stirring gently until the cheese has melted. Return the gnocchi to the pan and toss everything together.

Serve topped with the fresh basil and a little more parmesan, if you like.