Recipe For Purple Potato Gnocchi with Roasted Beets

Gnocchi are a lot easier to make that one would think. The dough is made of mashed potatoes, flour and eggs. The preparation is very basic. The gnocchi bathe in boiling water for a few minutes and they’re sautéed in a little butter.

To make it more fun and playful for the kids to eat, I used purple potatoes, called Okinawan sweet potatoes. They look very similar to a white sweet potato and are oval-shaped with pointy tips. To repeat the purple-colored theme, I paired the pasta dish with roasted beets. I also added sage for flavor and almonds for crunch.

We eat with our eyes first, and the vibrant color of this dish is sure to capture the attention of even the pickiest eater. After the reception it got from my girls, I expect I’ll be making it fairly often.

Uncooked gnocchi.

1. Info for Purple Potato Gnocchi with Roasted Beets

• Cook Time: unavailable
• Total Time: unavailable
• Servings: 8
• Calories: unavailable

2. Ingredients for Purple Potato Gnocchi with Roasted Beets

• 3 red beets
• 1 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt (or regular salt)
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 5 Okinawan sweet potatoes (1-3/4 pounds), purple-colored potatoes
• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour (7 ounces)
• 2 tablespoons ground almonds (see tips)
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 eggs
• 8 fresh sage leaves, torn in thirds
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• ¼ cup whole almonds, roasted and coarsely chopped
• juice of half a lemon
• 2 tablespoons butter, diced
• 1 cup vinaigrette (see tips)

3. Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Wash the beets. Scrub them under tap water. Remember to trim off a little piece from the ends of the root. Cut into thirds, horizontally. No need to peel the beets. Once they are roasted, the peels will rub right off.
3. Place in a large bowl and add the sage leaves. Drizzle with 1/3 cup olive oil. Season with kosher salt and pepper. Toss well. Wrap each beet (3 pieces) in aluminum foil. Place the aluminum wrappers on a baking sheet.
4. Roast for about 50-55 minutes. Let the beets cool for about 20-30 minutes. Once the beets are cool enough to handle, wipe the skins off using paper towels.
5. Peel and dice the beets into 1-inch cubes. Set aside.
6. Brush and wash the potatoes. Place them whole in a large pot (no need to peel them). Fill it with cold water until the potatoes are barely covered. It’s important to start with cold water so the potatoes cook evenly. Bring to a boil, add 1 teaspoon of salt and reduce the heat to medium-high (if you cook the potatoes at a full boil, they might fall apart). As soon as the water reaches a boil, cook for about 25-30 minutes. Test, using a fork; the potatoes should be slightly tender but still firm. Remove from the pot. Drain the potatoes thoroughly and let them cool a little (do not rinse and let the liquid evaporate). Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle and have dried thoroughly, remove the skin.
7. In a bowl, lightly beat the eggs using a fork.
8. Reserve about 2 tablespoons of flour.
9. Using a potato masher or a potato ricer, mash the potatoes. Add the finely ground almonds and nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper. Make sure the potatoes are cooled enough, so the eggs don’t cook. Form a well in the center of the potatoes and pour in the egg mixture. Add about ½ cup of flour.  Mix until the batter is smooth. Do NOT over-mix. Add about 7-8 tablespoons of oil. Add the rest of the flour and knead the dough until it becomes a smooth dough ball.
10. Create 4 (1-¼” diameter) 16-inch logs. Using a paring knife, cut the logs into 1-¼” pieces.
11. This step is aesthetic and optional: Using the back of a fork, flatten the gnocchi, creating a striped-pattern on one side. Flip the piece over and then fold the edges together to form a round shape. Dust the formed gnocchi with flour.
12. Bring about 3 quarts of water to boil. Add the gnocchi, bring back to a boil, then immediately lower the heat to a gentle boil. That way the pasta is cooked all the way through evenly. Cook the pasta for about 3-4 minutes total until the gnocchi float to the surface. Salt the water half-way through the cooking process (it will bring out the natural flavor of the gnocchi and the gnocchi will be fluffy and more tender) and keep gently stirring every now and then so the gnocchi doesn’t stick to the bottom.
13. When the gnocchi are cooked, reserve about 1/3 cup of pasta water and drain the gnocchi (do NOT rinse). Let stand in a colander.
14. In a large NON-STICK sauté pan, heat the rest of the olive oil. Add the garlic and cook until they’re slightly golden. Add the gnocchi pasta and butter. Toss the gnocchi by moving the pan in circular motion (the pan should be lifted in a low angle to facilitate the movement). Season with salt and pepper. If the pasta starts sticking to the bottom, add the reserved pasta water. Drizzle with lemon juice. Add the roasted beets and almonds. Transfer to a large serving platter.
15. Garnish with fresh sage leaves (I decorated the dish with sage flower from our garden and added a few sprigs of parsley). Serve immediately with vinaigrette on the side.
16. Bon appétit!