Directions for the Sweet Potato Gnocchi
Using a fork, prick holes all over your sweet potatoes. Place them into a dish with a cover and microwave for eight to ten minutes on high. Check your sweet potatoes doneness at the half way mark.
Remove from the dish and allow to cool for a few minutes or until you’re able to handle them. Scrape out all of the flesh, place a bowl, and mash with a fork.
Add in an egg yolk, Chinese Five-Spice powder, and kosher salt. Then, slowly add in two cups of all purpose flour. You may need less flour depending on the moisture content of your sweet potatoes. Mix until you create a shaggy dough. Transfer to a clean work surface and continue to knead the dough until it becomes supple. Add a bit more flour to prevent it from sticking.
Cut the dough into four equal pieces. Roll each piece into a thick rope. Cut the ropes down into one inch pieces and set aside.
Using a fork, roll each piece of gnocchi dough down the backside of the fork to create indentations. These will help the gnocchi hold sauce.
Boil the gnocchi in well salted water for two minutes or until they float to the surface. Transfer to a cold tray with a knob of butter. This will prevent the gnocchi from sticking together. Set aside.
Directions for the Gorgonzola Cream Sauce
Add two tablespoons of unsalted butter to a medium saucier pan. Sweat your sliced leeks in the butter with a dash of kosher salt until soft. This will take about five minutes.
Then, add in your cooked and buttered gnocchi. Allow them to get slightly crisp and brown from the butter. Add in a ladle of pasta water, Gorgonzola cheese, heavy cream, sugar, kosher salt and pepper. Simmer on medium heat for two minutes until the sauce thickens. Just before cutting off the heat, add in the dry sherry.
Transfer some of the gnocchi to a plate and top with toasted breadcrumbs and shallots. Enjoy!
