Sweet Potato Gnocchi (Vegan and Gluten-free)

Have you ever eaten gnocchi so gummy that your jaw hurt from chewing so much? I hadn't until I made my very first batch...

Since then, I have learned a few things about making gnocchi:

1. Use as little flour as possible.
2. You want to incorporate the flour well, without working the dough too much - lots of kneading leads to denser, gummier gnocchi.
3. Moisture in the potatoes is BAD because you have to add more flour. Older potatoes work better. 
4. Lightly pan-frying the gnocchi tastes even better! 

Making homemade gnocchi is not as intimidating or as time-consuming as it may seem.  Once you get the hang of it, it's actually quite easy. This recipe from Vegan Soul Power works well.

 

Ingredients 

• 1 large sweet potato
• 3/4 (or less) cup all purpose gluten-free flour, extra for dusting your work space
• pinch of salt 
• water for roasting and boiling 

Instructions 

1. Preheat your oven to 350 F. 
2. Slice your potato in half and roast in the oven for about 45 minutes or until soft. Let it cool to room temperature. Use as little water as possible for roasting.
3. Mash the potato in a bowl. 
4. Slowly add the flour and a pinch of salt. The goal is to use as little flour as possible.
5. On a lightly floured surface, quickly knead the flour into the potato. The less kneading, the less dense and gummy your gnocchi will be. You want it to be dry enough that it does not stick to your hands.
6. With your fingers, roll a palm-full of dough into a log as fat as your thumb. Repeat for the rest of the dough until you have several little logs.
7. Using a sharp knife, slice each log into small rectangles.
8. Using the tip of your fork, create a small indentation in each piece. This isn't necessary, it just looks better. 
9. To cook, add gnocchi to boiling salted water and cook for about 3-5 minutes or until they begin to float.
10. They taste even better if you lightly pan-fry them in olive oil or vegan butter until they are slightly crispy. Yum.
11. If you are freezing, line them up on a parchment-paper lined cookie sheet. After an hour or so, place them in a freezer bag. You do this so they don't stick together.