Masterchef

MasterChef winner Diana Chan proves homemade gnocchi is no problem with this sweet potato version that’s as versatile as it is delicious.

There’s no knocking Diana Chan’s homemade sweet potato gnocchi.

THERE’S NO NEED TO buy ready-made gnocchi; making it yourself is not difficult, and this sweet potato version is a perfect example of just how easy it is. There are only five main ingredients for the gnocchi and you can serve it with almost any sauce or toppings to make the dish your own – the whole idea is to show you how versatile sweet potato is. For instance, enjoy it with passata and add some fresh basil and shaved parmesan, with pesto, or with just a simple aglio e olio (garlic and oil sauce). Here, I’ve given it some richness using a brown butter sauce and little pops of gorgonzola, with walnuts to add crunch and balance the flavour. The natural sweetness of the sweet potato pairs beautifully with the saltiness of the gorgonzola.

If you are substituting the sweet potato for another vegetable – pumpkin, for example – just bear in mind the water content. Different vegetables have more water in them than others. You may want to bake the pumpkin or drain it well before mashing. Could you use olive oil instead of butter? Sure. And feel free to substitute thyme, oregano or marjoram for the sage.

This dish also looks pretty; the colours are vibrant and really pop when you place them in your dish – little orange pillows with pops of green and white. And I’m not lying when I say this is an utterly comforting, wintery, love-yourself gnocchi. Enjoy!

SWEET POTATO GNOCCHI WITH SAGE AND WALNUTS SERVES 4-6

1kg (2 medium) sweet potato 1 cup (240g) fresh ricotta 1 egg yolk

1/ 2 tsp ground nutmeg 11/ 4 cups (185g) plain flour,

plus extra to dust 1 tbs extra virgin olive oil 100g unsalted butter, chopped, 1/ 2 bunch sage, leaves picked 1/ 2 cup (50g) walnuts Crumbled gorgonzola, to serve

For the gnocchi, prick sweet potato all over with a fork, enclose individually in plastic wrap and microwave on high power, turning halfway, for 10-14 minutes or until tender. Unwrap and stand to cool.

Scoop flesh into a bowl and mash, discarding skins. Add ricotta, egg, nutmeg and 11/ 2 tsp salt flakes, and stir until well combined. In 3 batches, add flour, kneading gently between each addition, to form a soft dough.

Transfer to a lightly floured surface and divide into 6 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 2cm-thick sausage, then cut into 2.5cm-long pieces. Transfer to a tray lightly dusted with flour. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil and, in batches, cook gnocchi for 3 minutes or until gnocchi floats. Scoop out with a slotted spoon, drain in a colander, then oil a tray and gently toss in oil.

To make the sage brown butter, melt butter in a large frypan over mediumhigh heat. Add sage and walnuts, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes or until butter is light brown. Remove sage with tongs as it turns dark green and drain on paper towel. Add gnocchi to butter and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until warmed through.

Divide gnocchi among serving dishes and scatter with sage and gorgonzola to serve.