Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Sage Browned Butter Sauce

 Printable Recipe

Ingredients: 

For the Gnocchi: 

• ~2 lbs. sweet potatoes 
• 1 1/2 t ground cinnamon 
• 2/3 C whole milk ricotta cheese, well drained 
• 1 t salt 
• 1/2 t black pepper 
• 1 1/2 C all-purpose flour, plus 1/3 C for the work surface 

For the Maple Cinnamon Sage Brown Butter: 

• 1/2 C unsalted butter (1 stick) 
• 20 fresh sage leaves 
• 1 t ground cinnamon 
• 2 T maple syrup 
• 1 t salt 
• 1/2 t ground black pepper 

Directions: 

For the Gnocchi: 

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. 
2. Pierce the sweet potato to allow steam to escape. (You'll notice the repeated notes about moisture for making gnocchi.) 
3. Bake the sweet potatoes until tender & fully cooked, between 40 to 55 minutes depending on size. 
   
4. Cool slightly. Cut in half & scoop the flesh into a large bowl. 
5. Mash (or puree) the sweet potatoes & transfer to a large measuring cup to make sure the sweet potatoes measure about 2 cups.  If they are "wet", drain off any liquids.  Extra moisture can make the gnocchi require too much flour. 
   
6. Transfer the mashed sweet potatoes back to the large bowl. 
7. Add the ricotta cheese (drain any liquid, don't stir it back in) , salt, cinnamon, & pepper & blend until well mixed. 
   
   
   
8. Taste mixture to determine seasonings. 
9. Add the flour, 1/2 cup at a time until a soft dough forms. Additional flour may be required if the dough is still really sticky.
   
10. Lightly flour a work surface & place the dough in a ball on the work surface. 
11. Divide dough into 6 equal balls. 
12. (***Test a couple of gnocchi before you roll ALL of the dough out. Shape & cook a few dumplings in a small pan of simmering salted water to make sure they're right before rolling & cutting the whole batch. If the gnocchi fall apart, work the dough a bit longer & add a little more flour.)
13. Roll out each ball into a 1-inch wide rope. 
    
14. Cut each rope into 1-inch pieces. 
    
15. Roll the gnocchi over the tines of a fork. 
    
16. Transfer the formed gnocchi to a large parchment-lined baking sheet. 
    

    

     Brittyn has been making them with me for years.  (2018 pictured.)
17. Continue with the remaining gnocchi. 
18. Can be frozen in single layers at this point and then transferred to a Ziploc for storing until ready. (Do not defrost before cooking.)
19. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil over high heat. Once the water is at a rolling boil, add the gnocchi in 3 batches & cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, when they float to top, remove them. If you overcook them, they get really gummy. 
20. Drain the gnocchi using a slotted spoon onto another lined baking sheet. Tent with foil to keep warm & continue with the remaining gnocchi. 

For the Brown Butter sauce: 

1. While the gnocchi are cooking, melt the butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. 
2. When butter has melted, add sage leaves. Continue to cook, swirling butter occasionally, until the foam subsides & the milk solids begin to brown. 
3. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in cinnamon, maple syrup, salt, & pepper. Careful, mixture will bubble up. 
4. Gently stir. When bubbles subside, toss cooked gnocchi in brown butter. 
5. Transfer gnocchi to a serving dish & serve immediately.