The Red Fox Gnocchi

“A recipe has no soul. You, as the cook, must bring soul to the recipe.” — Thomas Keller

Ingredients

• 600g Sweet potato purée (about 4 medium-sized sweet potatoes)
• 1 Egg yolk
• 350g of 00 flour; or more as needed
• Salt to taste
• 50g of butter
• 1 Onion
• Black pepper to taste
• 2 Bell peppers
• Olive oil to taste
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 600 ml Passata
• Basil
• 30g walnuts
• 40g of Parmigiano Reggiano (Pecorino Romano also works quite well ! Or both, I am not the cheese police)
• Lemon

Directions

Gnocchi

Get ready to make the fluffiest, most irresistible sweet potato gnocchi! Let’s dive in:

1. Preheat your oven to a sizzling 200°C. Grab around 4 medium-sized sweet potatoes (we’re talking roughly 900-800g of pure golden goodness).
2. Wash those beauties ! Give your sweet potatoes a good rinse, dry them off, and stab them with a fork a few times (take out all your frustrations!). You know, for ventilation.
3. Bake ‘em. Pop those babies in the oven for about an hour. You’ll know they’re ready when you can effortlessly slide a knife through the middle, like cutting butter. No resistance means perfection!
4. Hot potato, hot potato! Slice your freshly baked potatoes in half and scoop out the mushy insides while they’re still hot. Grab a fork or potato masher and get to work. Mash (while they are still hot) until smooth and creamy—no lumps allowed!
5. Cool your mash. I know you’re eager, but patience! Let your mashed potatoes cool completely. This step’s a must to avoid ruining your gnocchi game. Once cooled, mix in an egg yolk and about 3g of salt and start adding flour bit by bit until you get a dough that’s smooth and somewhat sticky. Resist the temptation to over-knead, it should be slightly sticky but manageable—if you can cut it, it’s ready!
6. Flour it up. Prep a large, flat surface by generously dusting it with flour. We’re keeping things from sticking— too sticky gnocchi is a no-no.
7. Roll, baby, roll! Shape your dough into a big ball and divide it into four equal parts. Roll each piece into a long cigar shape (think about the width of your index finger), then slice away! You can get creative here—use a ruler if you’re feeling fancy, but really, it’s up to you!
8. Flour and chill. Place your cut gnocchi on the floured surface. Repeat until all four dough pieces are cut and ready for the grand finale.
9. Boil time. Get a big pot of water boiling and toss in a generous 5g of salt. While you wait, prep a bowl (metal or glass preferred) with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil to toss your finished gnocchi in—it’ll keep them from sticking together.
10. Float test. Drop your gnocchi into the boiling water and wait for them to rise to the top—when they float, they’re done! I recommend doing this in batches, depending on the size of your pot.

And voilà! You’re now officially a sweet potato gnocchi pro.

Sauce

1. Heat up your pan like you mean it and toss in that butter. We’re caramelizing, not burning, so keep it at medium. Once it’s all golden and luscious, throw in those sliced onions, salt, and black pepper. Let them sizzle and get all sweet and sultry.
2. When your onions are looking fabulous, add the minced garlic and bell peppers. Sauté it like you own the place. Now, throw in the gnocchi and give it a good mix. Then pour in the passata and toss in those basil stems. Let it simmer on low for about 15 minutes—this is where the magic happens.
3. While that sauce is working its charm, toast those walnuts in another pan. Crush them up when they’re nice and toasty. Chop your basil leaves, zest that lemon like a boss, and juice half of it. Grate your cheese until your arm gets tired (or not).
4. Remove the stems from the sauce. Serve it up in your fanciest dish, and top it with those crushed walnuts, chopped basil, a sprinkle of lemon zest, a splash of lemon juice, and grated cheese.

Dig in and enjoy this masterpiece!

Fun Facts

Red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) are clever solitary hunters with retractable claws and usually live 2 to 4 years in the wild. They are opportunistic omnivores with a varied diet and little dietary fuss. Their young are called kits, while a group of red foxes is known as a skulk or a leash, and females are referred to as vixens. Red foxes typically make their homes in dens. - National Geographic Kids