SWEET POTATO TAPIOCA GNOCCHI, GLUTEN-FREE

Ingredients

SWEET POTATO TAPIOCA GNOCCHI:
• 1 1/2 cup (345 grams) baked and peeled sweet potatoes
• 3/4 cup (90 grams) tapioca flour, plus more to adjust
• 1/4 cup (37 grams) potato starch
GNOCCHI IN THYME BROWNED BUTTER:
• 1/4 cup diced pancetta
• 2 tbsp water
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• Parmigiano Reggiano cheese to grate
GNOCCHI IN TOMATO SAUCE:
• 1 can (400 grams) peeled plum tomatoes
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 fillet anchovy
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp light brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 clove garlic, grated
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• Parmigiano Reggiano cheese to grate

Instructions

1. TO MAKE GNOCCHI: The result of the gnocchi largely depends on the nature of the sweet potatoes used. Whether it contains more, or less moisture, will affect the amount of flour that's needed. But follow these steps and you should be able to get it right. Refer back to the photos for more visual guidance.
2. You'll need about 2~3 sweet potatoes. After washing, bake them in a 400 F/200 C oven for 1 hour until cooked through. Let them cool down COMPLETELY, then peel and put 345 grams (strongly recommend measuring by weight) of the sweet potatoes into a large bowl. Add tapioca flour and potato starch, and knead with your hands until the mixture becomes a very dry, shaggy and very crumbly texture. The mixture should be too dry to come together as a cohesive dough at this point, but you can squeeze small nubs of it into solid chunks. If your mixture is too wet (that it gathers into a solid chunk), add more tapioca flour until it's right.
3. Bring a small pot of water to boil. Now take out 4 individual tbsp of the mixture, and squeeze them into 4 tube-shaped dough. Cook them in the boiling water until they just float to the surface. Remove with a slotted spoon and rinse under water to cool down. Make sure you drain them well, then add them back into the dough-mixture. Now you should be able to knead the whole thing together into a pliable, slightly springy, TACKY but not too sticky dough. The dough should be moist and tacky, but shouldn't stick to your hands during kneading. If your dough is sticky, add more tapioca flour until it isn't. (You can test-cook a small piece in boiling water, cool it under cold water, and see if you're happy with the texture before adding more flour or sweet potato).
4. Now break off a large piece and roll it into a 1/2" (13 mm) thick tube. Lightly dust it with tapioca flour, then cut into segments about 3/4" (20 mm) long (DO NOT dust then with more flour at this point). Place one segment standing up on a fork (cut sides facing up and down), then press it down into a stubby nub (not a disk that's too thin), then gently roll it off of the fork. Repeat until you're done with the entire dough. Now scatter them on a sheet-tray and freeze until hard. Keep in an air-tight bag in the freezer until needed.
5. GNOCCHI IN THYME BROWNED BUTTER: In a skillet, add diced pancetta and water, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat (I feel that this brings out more "porky-ness" whereas if I just brown the pancetta directly). Continue to cook until all the water has evaporated, and that the pancetta starts to brown slightly in its own fat. Now add butter, fresh thyme and black pepper, and continue to cook until both the pancetta and butter are browned. Turn off the heat and set aside.
6. Bring a pot of water with a generous amount of salt to boil. Add the gnocchi straight from the freezer (or you can cook them fresh, too), and when they JUST float to the surface, cook 30 seconds more. Transfer into a large sieve and rinse under cold water, tossing them gently so they are cooled down evenly and completely (this step is important in obtaining that chewy texture). Drain well, and add them into the browned butter skillet. Heat over high heat until each gnocchi are warmed through. Re-season with sea salt if needed, and serve immediately with LOTS of grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.
7. GNOCCHI IN TOMATO SAUCE: Blend the canned tomatoes until finely pureed, set aside. In a pot, heat extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. Add sliced garlic, thyme and anchovy, and cook until the garlics are slightly browned on the edges. Add the pureed tomatoes, sea salt, light brown sugar and black pepper, then partially cover the pot (it will splatter during cooking). Keep the mixture at a gentle boil, stirring occasionally, until it's reduced down to about 40% of its original volume. Re-season with sea salt, then stir in the grated garlic, set aside.
8. Bring a pot of water with a generous amount of salt to boil. Add the gnocchi straight from the freezer (or you can cook them fresh, too), and when they JUST float to the surface, cook 30 seconds more. Transfer into a large sieve and rinse under cold water, tossing them gently so they are cooled down evenly and completely (this step is important in obtaining that chewy texture). Drain well and transfer into a skillet over medium-high heat, then add enough tomato sauce to generous coat each gnocchi (you may need all of it), and the butter. Cook until butter is blended into the sauce, and that each gnocchi is warmed through. Serve immediately with LOTS of Parmigiano Reggiano.