SWEET POTATO TAPIOCA GNOCCHI, GLUTEN-FREE
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SOFT BUT PLEASANTLY CHEWY, THAT IT FROLICS IN BETWEEN EVERY BITE WITH THE UPMOST PLAYFUL RESISTANCE
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Light. Airy. Delicate. Cloud-like.
See, surely these are rules best to dictate cotton candies and runway models.
But, in my opinion, not for gnocchi.
I know, I know. Who am I – an Asian who grew up in North America – to judge gnocchi, an inarguably Italian prerogative guarded by some very defensive if not hostile Italian grandmothers. To some, if I am ever entitled to an opinion then it should only be on chop suey or somethin’, certainly not this heritage pasta sacredly given by the ancient Roman Gods. Hey, I know! I agree!, or at least I used to, which was why I never complained every time I was served with a plate of texture-less and borderline-mushy “clouds”, in Rome or Nice and etcetera might I add, and nodded in compliance like a team-player. “Yes, Mandy. These mashy semisolids are intentional and authentic. Now shut up and eat them. Gollum Gollum”. I truly tried.
You see, close-minded it may seem, but I come from a place where any flour-involved, savory carbohydrates have to have, a chew.
Whether it’s hand-pulled xi’an noodles, the delicate wrappers of dim sum dumplings, or hand-shaped fresh pastas and whatnots, no matter. No chew, shameful personal failure of the cook. Doesn’t matter if it was the long-term habit that shaped my preference, or the other way around, it’s the same thing. I just like’em chewy.
So as time went on, a quiet rebellion came when I first found out about this “French” gnocchi business. It’s a pâte à choux type of dough that yields a firmer, chewier and springy form of gnocchi, which were much more relatable and appreciated by my (ok angry nonna, I’ll say it myself) narrow-minded Asian taste-buds. It was a vote of endorsement that said, hey there is actually a market out there for a texturally different type of gnocchi and it isn’t going to get me burnt alive on a stick in the middle of a piazza. It was encouraging, although, not enough to push me to commit recipe-social-suicide, to turn the idea of gnocchi upside down. Until, unfortunately, the real affirmation came a few weeks ago during one innocent gathering with friends, when one of them ever-so-harmlessly mentioned…
“I’ve never like the soft, fluffy gnocchi. I prefer the chewier type”, he said.
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Boom, there! One single white Jewish American dude agrees! (Yoohoo~ waving my arms in the air in glorious triumph…). Little did he know that his no-more-entitled opinion on gnocchi, was all the badge I needed to push myself over the cliff. You’ll find me tomorrow as a pile of ash by the trash-bins behind Santa Maria del Fiore.
Al’right, you might think that I’m being dramatic, pile of ash and all, but listen, what I’m about to do to gnocchi, could be deeply upsetting.
There is this thing, a Taiwanese thing (best to drag another country into the argument so if somebody has to burn something, burn their flag), called yuyuan, meaning sweet potato dumpling. Composition-wise, it is extremely similar like gnocchi, meaning it’s a dough mixed with mashed starchy root vegetables and flour, then shaped into a ball-shaped dumpling. The difference is that instead of potato, it uses sweet potato (or taro), and instead of wheat flour, it uses tapioca flour and potato starch, and it’s exclusively eaten as a dessert mostly over shaved/crushed ice.
Why am I bringing it up? Well, because, under all circumstances in my own psychotic and twisted universe, I replace it ruthlessly with the actual gnocchi.
Now listen, even though Italian gnocchi and Taiwanese yuyuan shares many structural similarities, but taste and texture-wise, they are worlds apart. Yuyuan is mildly sweet and vibrant in sunshine glow, soft but pleasantly chewy (because of the tapioca)(think bubble tea) that it frolics in between each bite with a playful resistance, jewel-like and silky in the sense that it slips effortlessly down the throat. No more texturally ambiguous clouds mush that melt fall apart in a feast of confusion, yeah, like Italian gnocchi. Shoot me. This sweet potato gnocchi works (to rub it in I’m gonna call it gnocchi, too), in my view, wonderfully if not better in two classic gnocchi applications. One as a simple toss in browned butter infused with pancetta, fresh thyme and black pepper, where the yuyuan’s natural sweetness welds with that in the browned butter but pops against the saltiness of the pancetta. Then the second as a thorough coating in a condensed tomato sauce with anchovy and garlic, where the tangy and sweet marry well into a combination of unique texture and old comfort. Both, showered ferociously with aged Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.
If that sounds not offensive but heavenly, not intrusive but long-awaited, well, then welcome to the club.
Oh, and it’s gluten-free, too.
I’ll see you at our crucifixion.
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Ingredients
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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).
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Enlightenment
March 21, 2017 at 5:34 PMHilarious! An international kitchen drama! I haven’t even tried the recipe yet but my faculties are now fully imagining, wanting and questing for the perfect gnocchi chew! Italian used to be my favourite until I went Oriental, so it’s pleasing, entertaining and confusing to find your determined experimental fusions. Your writing highlights your recipes from the masses out there and elevates you to global food ambassador status. Reading your posts is like a shock strong jolt of espresso without the caffeine fallout. I never knew cooking like this before, it’s in a class of its own.
Jack Guard
March 21, 2017 at 6:33 PMI’ve said this before but really NEED to say it again—-I LOVE YOU! :) Not only are your recipes F$’ing marvelous but your writing style makes me smile/laugh at the same time. The story reminds me of a Taiwanese friend who runs a typical CRAP Chinese buffet restaurant here in Upper Michigan—-when I told her I had a kick-ass Taiwan Beef Noodle Soup recipe and was going to make it in my restaurant she GOT ANGRY—–seeeeethingly angry—-claiming that I would be insulting the entire country of Taiwan by making some kind of bastardized version and worse yet—CALLING it Taiwan Beef Noodle Soup. Thing is…it IS freaking marvelous—but alas Yoopers—what folks are called here in Upper Michigan—aren’t BIG bowl of noodle eaters like in Asia so I never put it on the menu anyway. BUT…gorgeous culinary beast of burden THIS gnocchi recipe will be used as I have countless gluten free people who do come in and eat—they can be readily identified on sight as most of them have the big red letters GF tattooed on their foreheads… :) Thanks again Mandy…you are AWESOME… :)
june2
March 25, 2017 at 2:04 AMWow, it sounds like your version could convert any yooper into a noodle sooper, ya? Why hold out on them! Call it maybe Yoopwan Beef Noodle soup if you want to be culturally correct ; )
mandy@ladyandpups
March 25, 2017 at 11:52 AMJune2, the dough is too soft to make noodles. It needs the chubby shape to retain its texture :)
stefano - italian home cooking
March 21, 2017 at 7:48 PMHi there Mandy
… I am Italian and I have always found potato gnocchi to be bland, boring and pointless…. and yeah, yeah,… all that lightness eccc business + thou-shall-never-ever-ever use eggs in thy dough ecc…. well,…. kind of …how can I put it nicely?… nonsense…
I actually prefer the sturdier potato gnocchi made with a semola rimacinata flour and egg dough, If I must have potato gnocchi at all.
I much prefer gnocchi di zucca, pumpkin gnocchi, which are not pretty dissimilar from your version, because Italian pumpkin has an affinity (in taste) with sveet potato (or carrot gnocchi, spinach gnocchi, ricotta gnocchi ecc…)
I will try your version (I do not like eating gnocchi, but I like making them), I have one question here thuogh: can one use less flour, if possible? I mean: is the old mantra: the less flour, the better?? (I have never worked with tapioca flour and I do not know how it behaves/tastes, once cooked) – thanks, ciao, stefano
mandy@ladyandpups
March 21, 2017 at 8:23 PMStefano, yes! One real Italian agrees, too :) In this case, NOT the less flour the better. This recipe need a sufficient amount of tapioca flour to give it body and the chewy texture. If you use too little, the gnocchi will be mushy. But if you use too much, they will be too tough. But there’s a range in between depending on your preference. It’s best to cook a small piece of dough (make sure you rinse it under cold water after cooking), and see if you are satisfied with the texture before adding more flour or sweet potato :)
Eva
March 21, 2017 at 8:51 PMHi Mandy! Have a question.. isn’t tapioca flour and potato starch are similar? thanks!
mandy@ladyandpups
March 21, 2017 at 8:55 PMEva, actually they are not. They are different in texture after cooked. Tapioca has more bounce whereas potato starch is softer. A balance between then is typical in many asian dishes :)
george
March 21, 2017 at 9:13 PMInsane lady – I love you more.. Thank you for providing the magic for clouds of gnocchi ( gluten free clouds at last!)- Sweet Potato’s in the oven just have to check that box for potato starch!
Julia Macias
March 21, 2017 at 10:56 PMHi Mandy,
love your post and can’t wait to try them!! My mom was recently diagnosed with Celiac disease and she loves potato dumplings (being German:-) I was wondering if this recipe would work with regular potatoes, too?
Julia
Aimee
March 21, 2017 at 10:56 PMGnocchi is my absolute favorite pasta. But, I’m like you, and super picky about my gnocchi. It’s like my pasta love baby.
I’ll have to give your recipe a try! Thanks for sharing, it looks beautiful.
Vicky
March 21, 2017 at 11:29 PMMandy,
This was an absolute delight to read!! Thank you as always for vocalizing all of our tormented inner feelings & translating them into gastronomic heaven.
Sisi
March 22, 2017 at 3:09 AMjust made these! It had the chewyness mentioned, but very difficult not to crowd them in my fridge freezer, as it did’nt had space for a baking tray!! Haha.
mandy@ladyandpups
March 22, 2017 at 1:49 PMSisi, once they are hardened, you can transfer them to a zip-lock bag :)
K
March 22, 2017 at 11:04 PMHi,
I will be interested to try these out. I made gnocchi for the first time a couple of weeks ago, but I think I must have lucked out, because the one I made did not come close to being mushy, thank goodness! However if I had known how horrifyingly sticky that would be…it was like a gnocchi face hugger with no flame thrower in sight. Thank god for booze.
Because neither my husband and I are fans of sweet potatoes, is the flavor of sweet potatoes strong or just really subtle? I think knowing what to expect would help me determine what sort of sauce to use for these! I’ve just recently started cooking with tapioca starch, and I can see how awesome gnocchi would be used with that starch.
~cheers
Cathy
March 23, 2017 at 10:55 AMBless this! I’m Asian as well, and although I love Italian food, I could never get myself to enjoy gnocchi. This is so well-written and I’m glad that I’m not the only one who doesn’t appreciate the lack of chewiness in gnocchi…Will definitely try these out soon!
Jack Guard
March 24, 2017 at 4:34 AMThese are MARVELOUS and the CHEW is stunning! You were also right about the water content in the sweet potatoes though as I had to easily put another 200 gm of Tapioca flour into the dough in order for it to be resembling a dough let alone a crumbly one as you mentioned above—–THANKS! )
Jessica
March 24, 2017 at 7:12 PMI have been looking for a killer gluten free gnocchi recipes years. Thank you.
I can see them hoisting the crosses as I type this.
jillygirl
March 25, 2017 at 2:10 AMThis dough…would it make straight up noodles, too? I want to make this noodle:
How to make a bowl of bean sauce noodle with just ONE noodle (in the office):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jPweEW1D90
jillygirl
March 25, 2017 at 2:14 AMoh shoot, wrong link!!! I meant these noodles!!:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5gPnSyYCn4
mandy@ladyandpups
March 25, 2017 at 11:51 AMJillygirl, no this dough is too soft to make noodles. It needs the chubby shape :)
Marie
March 25, 2017 at 3:53 AMMandy I am eager to make these. Due to arthritis issues, I not only avoid gluten, but the nightshade family as well. So. No potato starch. Do u know of a good substitute? Thanks!!
mandy@ladyandpups
March 25, 2017 at 11:50 AMMarie, you can give cornstarch a try, though I think cornstarch will be softer than potato starch
Monica
April 8, 2017 at 11:54 AMFully agree. I’ve been spoiled living in China, where everything flour-based comes with a pleasantly chewy challenge. I’m going to give these a try today, but I’m kind of sweet potato’ed-out. Would I be able to use a white potato in place, granted I get the crumbly texture you mentioned? Thanks, Mandy!!
Lize van wyk
June 13, 2019 at 8:13 PMThis looks amazing, however im on a strickt AIP Diet and cant have potato starch is there anything i can substitute it with?
Thanx xx
Dan
April 10, 2017 at 4:19 AMDo you use taro or Japanese sweet potatoes?
mandy@ladyandpups
April 10, 2017 at 5:36 AMDan, I used sweet potato
Julia Macias
May 2, 2017 at 12:22 PMWould these work with regular potatoes, too?
mandy@ladyandpups
May 2, 2017 at 12:35 PMJulia, I think so… but it would lack the subtle sweetness and aroma. Plus the liquid you add to the dough may have to adjust :)
Nicola
June 12, 2019 at 12:42 AMMandy, you get me. CHEW. Dude, if you can come up with a non-mush, not pretending to be raw meat veggie burger (maybe tempeh related?) you’ll be the hero of my life. Also if you could ever convince your hubs to give Canada a go, West Vancouver needs you. To open a restaurant. It’s full of wealthy people and a lack of dining options. Meantime, can we talk sweet potatoes? It’s one of those terms that seem to mean different things to different people. Where I am, I’d think of the pale yellow/white skinned, white fleshed tuber. The ones in your pics look like they have darker skins. I know this isn’t the newest post; hopefully someone can point me in the right direction. Cheers to the chew!
mandy@ladyandpups
June 12, 2019 at 12:54 AMNicola, haha I am from Vancouver myself! Paler sweet potato can work, too, but less colorful and pretty.
James
June 5, 2021 at 9:28 PMOh, Mandy. How, with your flawless track record, could this have gone so wrong? I kept adding and adding more tapioca flour but there was no way this was turning into a dough, not to mention a dry one. I added 120g and it was still very wet (https://imgur.com/ep2ll0g). I had a taste and it was so gritty and unappetizing that we had to part ways. By then I had ran out of tapioca flour and went disgraced to the grocer to buy vacuum packed ready-made gnocchi hoping no one would see. But they did. What gives? I know you wrote that moisture content will affect the quantities, but by that much? By the looks of it, I’d say I would need at least 300g extra tapioca starch on top of what’s written if I were to try again.
mandy@ladyandpups
June 6, 2021 at 1:31 AMJames, oh geeee, that sounds like a disaster (I want to say lol but I guess it’s too soon). I have no idea what went wrong here.. this had never happened to me. Sorry!
James
June 7, 2021 at 12:38 AMOhhhh I think I got it! I baked the sweet potatoes wrapped in foil! Just from instinct. So they probably retained way too much moisture. Will give it another go soon.