Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Fried Sage and Shaved Chestnuts

By Craig_Allen

Ingredients

• Equipment:
• Serves6 (main course) to 8 (first course)
• * Active time:1 1/4 hr
• * Start to finish:2 1/4 hr
• October 2009
• Frying sage leaves is easy and provides a real wow factor. The sage and chestnuts make an ideal foil for these pillowy gnocchi. View more of our favorite recipes from this issue.
• 1 1/4 * 1 1/4 lb russet (baking potatoes)
• 1 * 1 (3/4-lb) sweet potato
• 1 * 1 large egg
• 1/2 * 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 1/3 * 1/3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano plus more for serving
• 1 1/2 to 2 * 1 1/2 to 2 cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
• 1/3 * 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 * 1 cup sage leaves (from 1 bunch)
• 1/3 * 1/3 cup bottled roasted chestnuts, very thinly sliced with an adjustable-blade slicer or a sharp vegetable peeler
• 2 * 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• *
• a potato ricer or a food mill fitted with fine disk

Details

Servings 6
Adapted from gourmet.com

Preparation

Step 1

Make gnocchi:

*
Preheat oven to 450°F with rack in middle.
*
Pierce russet and sweet potatoes in several places with a fork, then bake in a 4-sided sheet pan until just tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
*
Cool potatoes slightly, then peel and force through ricer into sheet pan, spreading in an even layer. Cool potatoes completely.
*
Lightly flour 2 or 3 large baking sheets or line with parchment paper.
*
Beat together egg, nutmeg, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper in a small bowl.
*
Gather potatoes into a mound in sheet pan, using a pastry scraper if you have one, and form a well in center.
*
Pour egg mixture into well, then knead into potatoes. Knead in cheese and 11/2 cups flour, then knead, adding more flour as necessary, until mixture forms a smooth but slightly sticky dough. Dust top lightly with some of flour.
*
Cut dough into 6 pieces. Form 1 piece of dough into a 1/2-inch-thick rope on a lightly floured surface. Cut rope into 1/2-inch pieces. Gently roll each piece into a ball and lightly dust with flour.
*
Repeat with remaining 5 pieces of dough.
*
Turn a fork over and hold at a 45-degree angle, with tips of tines touching work surface. Working with 1 at a time, roll gnocchi down fork tines, pressing with your thumb, to make ridges on 1 side. Transfer gnocchi as formed to baking sheets.

Fry sage leaves and chestnuts:

*
Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat until it shimmers. Fry sage leaves in 3 batches, stirring, until they turn just a shade lighter and crisp (they will continue to crisp as they cool), about 30 seconds per batch. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Season lightly with salt.
*
Fry chestnuts in 3 batches, stirring, until golden and crisp, about 30 seconds per batch. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Season lightly with salt. Reserve oil in skillet.

Make sauce:

*
Add butter to oil in skillet with 1/2 tsp salt and cook until golden-brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Cook gnocchi:

*
Add half of gnocchi to a pasta pot of well-salted boiling water and stir. Cook until they float to surface, about 3 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to skillet with butter sauce. Cook remaining gnocchi in same manner, transferring to skillet as cooked.
*
Heat gnocchi in skillet over medium heat, stirring to coat.
*
Serve sprinkled with fried sage and chestnuts and grated cheese.

cooks’ notes:

* Uncooked gnocchi can be frozen (first in 1 layer on a baking sheet, then transferred to a sealable bag) up to 1 month. Do not thaw before cooking. Chestnuts can be sliced 1 day ahead and kept in an airtight container at cool room temperature.
* Sauce and topping can be halved; make full recipe of gnocchi and freeze half of it.