Prepare yourself for the easiest gnocchi recipe EVER. The idea of having a delicious pasta dinner that is also vegan is truly a win.
Step 1:
The ingredients you will need for the dough are 2 large sweet potatoes, 2 teaspoons of salt, and 2 cups of flour. One of the reasons this recipe is super simple, is because all of the ingredients are proportional. All you have to do is remember the number two!
Step 2:
The first thing you're going to want to do is cook your sweet potatoes. The easiest way (in my humble opinion) to do this is by steaming them in the microwave. I poked the outside of them with a fork, because I did not want them to explode! I threw them into the microwave for about 5-7 minutes or until they were completely soft.
Step 3:
Now that the sweet potatoes are soft, you can scoop them out and throw them into a stand mixer. This can also be done by hand in a mixing bowl! I put it on high speed for a couple minutes to ensure that there were no big chunks.
Step 4:
After mixing together the flour and salt, throw that into the mixer with the sweet potatoes. I also replaced the mixing attachment to the dough hook. This makes it easier for the dough to come together. I mixed this mixture until it resembled a ball and then scooped it out of the bowl onto a floured surface.
Step 5:
Now that you have your dough on a floured surface, kneed it until it becomes smooth. The color of the dough at this point will seem very light, but that is only because of the flour. Throughout the next couple of steps, the color will be brought back to life! Chill your dough for at least an hour up to overnight. Make sure it is wrapped tightly so it doesn't dry out.
Step 6:
After you dough has chilled, cut off about an inch thick slice and roll it into a log. It will help to have flour on the counter top and on your hands to ensure that the dough won't stick. You will cut the log into about 1/2 inch slices. This is the shape you want them to be in before you form the gnocchi.
Step 7:
My favorite part of this entire step is forming the gnocchi! I left my gnocchi roller back home, but a fork is the perfect substitute. All you do is gently roll the piece of dough on top of the fork to get the nice little grooves. I have attached a video on how to do this here.
Step 8:
Continue to roll out each individual gnocchi until all of the dough is used up. According to my calculations, this recipe makes about an entire sheet tray. Once they are all rolled I stick the dough in the freezer. This helps them to firm up so they are easier to handle. Now you can put a large pot of water on the stove and bring it up to a medium-boil!
Step 9:
Sticking with our lucky #2, you are going to throw 2 tablespoons of (vegan) butter and 2 sprigs of sage into a pan. Melt the butter on medium-high and let the sage lightly toast in this mixture. At this same stage, throw the gnocchi into boiling water for about 5 minutes or until they are floating to the top.
Step 10:
Throw the cooked gnocchi into the butter mixture. I removed the sage before I tossed the gnocchi in, so it wouldn't break up the sage. Cook the pasta for about 5 minutes or until the outside has a golden crust. Doing this helps the butter flavor absorb into the pasta.
Step 11:
Toss the sage back on top for a finishing touch and enjoy! If you wanted this recipe to not be vegan, you could always throw a little parmesan cheese on top. Congratulations, you've made homemade gnocchi!