Adventures in Gnocchi Making

Let's face it: cookbooks are so passé.

As an online journalist on the cutting edge of culture, I've forgone traditional cookbooks in lieu of a more cyber approach: food blogs!

One of my favorites, Not Eating Out in New York, posted last Friday a recipe so intriguing I couldn't pass it up: sweet potato gnocchi with arugula.

The process looked too easy not to try. And easy it was, just incredibly time consuming. The entire dish took me close to three hours to prepare.

However, I'd absolutely try it again; the results were unbelievably delicious. It's true what they say about fresh pasta, it blows the boxed and dried competition out of the water.

The dough is comprised of only two ingredients, boiled sweet potato and flour. I kid you not.

Once the dough came together, I rolled it into long strands which I then scored with a knife before cutting it into small gnocchi.

They sort of look like big, doughy pieces of Cap'n Crunch, right?

I then sauteed some mushrooms, garlic and arugula together with some white wine and olive oil. A dash of salt, and viola! Homemade gnocchi.

I altered the recipe the blog provided slightly. Their version is a bit sweeter, and mine more savory. I didn't include nutmeg or hazelnuts in mine, and swapped in some mushrooms, garlic and white wine.

Click here for the recipe I modeled my own after.

Here's my altered version:

Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Arugula and Mushrooms
(makes 4 servings)

1 lb sweet potatoes
about 1 cup all-purpose flour
1 large bunch arugula, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups of sliced mushrooms, any kind
6 cloves of garlic, diced
1/3 cup of white wine
3-4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
Romano cheese, to garnish

Boil the sweet potatoes until tender. When ready, pass them through colander with a spatula. Fold in about half the flour into the potato mixture until the dough just comes together and doesn't stick to your floured hands. Roll the dough into inch-thick logs and score the length of it with a sharp knife. Then cut into roughly one square inch pieces.

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Work the gnocchi into the water in a few batches and make sure the water keeps at a rapid boil. Let cook about 3-4 minutes, until they just float to the surface. Make sure they don't stick to the bottom of the pan with the quick stir of a spoon. Taste a gnocchi that has risen to the surface; continue boiling for a minute or two longer if it still tastes doughy and is very soft. Remove with a slotted spoon and hold to the side.

Heat a large, heavy-bottomed skillet and roast the garlic. Remove them from the heat to prevent from burning and keep them to the side. Add the mushrooms to the pan with some olive oil, adding the white wine after a few minutes. Then add the arugula and let it wilt, adding some more white wine and olive oil as needed. When thoroughly sauteed, add the garlic and mix.

Finally, add the boiled gnocchi. Sprinkle with some Romano cheese, and enjoy!