Gnocchi with Sweet Potato and Red Pepper Sauce

Prep: 20 Minutes | Cook: 15 Minutes | Total: 35 Minutes

Makes 6 Servings

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Ingredients

3 T Olive Oil

1/2 Onion, Diced

1 Shallot, Diced

1 16oz Pack Potato Gnocchi (or homemade)

Sweet Potato and Red Pepper Sauce

1 Sweet Potato, Roasted

1 Roasted Red Pepper

4 Cloves Garlic

1/4 T Butter

2 T Heavy Cream

Salt, to taste

Pepper, to taste

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Recipe Summary

1. Peel and chop sweet potato. Roast at 425 for 30 minutes or until browned and tender

2. Peel garlic, dice onion and shallot

3. Cook gnocchi according to package directions

4. Blend sweet potato, roasted red pepper, garlic, heavy cream, and butter. Add salt and pepper to taste

5. Saute onions and shallots. Add in sauce and then add in gnocchi once sauce is warm.

6. Serve hot

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Recipe 

1. Peel and chop sweet potato in large pieces. In a bowl toss sweet potato pieces with olive oil and salt.  Roast sweet potatoes at 425F for ~30 minutes or until browned and tender with a fork. This step can be done in advance.

2. Cook gnocchi according to instructions on the package. After gnocchi is cooked, retain 2 cups of starchy pasta water, and transfer the gnocchi to a bowl. 

3. In a blender, add roasted sweet potato, 1 roasted red pepper, 4 cloves garlic, and ½ cup pasta water.  Sauce should be relatively thick, but still be viscous.  If your sauce is still chunky, add additional pasta water ½ cup at a time. 

4. Add heavy cream and blend on low until fully incorporated. 

5. Add butter and blend on low until fully incorporated. 

6. In a large frying pan, or dutch oven, saute diced onion and shallot until translucent and tender (~5 mins) . 

7. Add sauce to the pan and bring to a simmer.  Reduce heat to low. 

8. Add gnocchi to the sauce and mix thoroughly. Serve hot.

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Why the Recipe Works

The nuttiness of the sweet potato and the sweetness of the roasted red pepper compliment each other perfectly. With the addition of fresh garlic, and sauteed onions and shallots, the sauce develops complex flavors. Cream and butter added at the end of the blending turn the sauce from chunky to smooth and velvety by emulsifying fat into the sauce.

While homemade gnocchi are the ideal vehicle for this sauce, a store bought gnocchi is a good alternative. While a packaged gnocchi won’t have the same pillowy texture as homemade potato gnocchi, it has an extremely chewy texture that allows the pasta to stand on it’s own without the addition of a protein.