Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Spinach Goat Cheese Sauce Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why is my sweet potato gnocchi sticky? ›

If dough is too sticky, add more flour and knead it in. I like to knead my gnocchi dough until it is fairly stiff — this part is up to you.

Ricotta gnocchi may be a better option than potato gnocchi for those looking to gain muscle, since there is a higher protein content in the cheese-based dough.

Gnocchi is more than just pasta, but an irresistibly airy, filling and versatile foundation to a number of quick and easy recipes.

Not draining the ricotta properly will result in sticky dough that requires extra flour, which will make the gnocchi gummy. It should be thick and dense and almost sliceable when properly drained. Mix the ingredients without flour.

When cool enough to handle, scrape off the skins and push the potato through a ricer or food mill, then, while still warm, start working your dough on a floured work surface. (Here, Davies offers up another tip to fight the mush: “Spread out the mash to cool; the escaping steam will further take away any moisture.”)

Cut your dough into 6 pieces and roll them each into fat ropes about as thick as your thumb. Some people recommend resting the dough at this stage for 30 minutes but we haven't found any difference in the finished gnocchi by doing this.

The Gnudi, or spinach and ricotta gnocchi, is a typical recipe from Tuscany, usually served with a simple tomato sauce or with butter and sage. In fancy restaurants, sometimes these are served with very special aged parmesan cheese like pecorino or with a slice of lard that melts in contact with the hot gnocchi.

If you're looking to swap the pasta for something healthy, gnocchi may not be the best option. Go for a protein-enriched pasta choice or a low-carb, gluten-free substitute, like zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash instead.

Nutritional Value

Believe it or not, regular pasta is actually more carb-heavy than gnocchi, coming in at around 2 times the amount of carbs per serving. Gnocchi is also notorious for having a lot more sodium, with over 200 grams of it per serving. Regular pasta doesn't have nearly as high of a sodium content.

Egg yolk added to your gnocchi dough helps improve texture, and keep it together while cooking. Gnocchi is traditionally made with eggs in Veneto and no eggs in Piedmont, the two Northern Italian regions famous for gnocchi. We vote for egg yolks at the rate of 1 per (500g) 1 lb of uncooked potatoes used.

What does the word gnocchi mean in Italian? ›

The word gnocchi may be derived from the Italian word nocchio, meaning 'a knot in wood', or from nocca, meaning 'knuckle'. It has been a traditional type of Italian pasta since Roman times. It was introduced by the Roman legions during the expansion of the empire into the countries of the European continent.

Semolina flour: I coat the ricotta gnocchi in semolina flour before boiling. This creates a protective shell, which not only keeps the gnocchi from falling apart, but the inside texture stays light and delicate- no need for extra flour to bind the dough. I learned this tip from Jamie Oliver's Comfort Food.

If you overdo it with flour, your gnocchi will be too hard, if you put too little they will break during cooking. The rule says that the flour must be at most a third of the amount of potatoes.

In the Fridge for a Few Days

You can store raw, uncooked gnocchi on a lightly floured tray, covered with a clean tea towel in a cool and dry place for just a few hours. If you need to store them longer, then cook or freeze them. If you want to serve your gnocchi the day after they are made, you should cook them first.

Sticky dough: If your gnocchi dough is too sticky to roll, sprinkle a little flour on top and gently pat it in without any vigorous kneading. Common sense may tell you to knead more, as you would with pasta dough. In fact, the more you knead, the stickier gnocchi dough becomes.

It is very easy to add too much flour to gnocchi dough, which can make these dumplings glutinous, gummy, and sticky. If you dump all of the flour into your gnocchi dough at once, you won't have the same texture as a gnocchi that has just enough flour to bring it together.

Knead yes, but how much? Be careful not to overwork your dough thus running the risk that the gluten present in the flour will activate and your gnocchi will not cook well.