SWEET POTATO GNOCCHI WITH PARSELY PESTO

Making  little potato dumplings that are known as gnocchi requires patience, but it’s amazing what a little practice can do. If you have a skill with biscuits, you will be good at this as  well. 
   

1  ½ pounds sweet potato, boiled, steamed or baked and mashed
1  ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp. baking powder
1  egg, beaten
1 tsp. paprika
1-1 ¼ sea salt or to taste

   
Put mushed potato* into a bowl. Add egg, salt, paprika, baking powder, and stir it all together. Start with adding flour 2-3  tablespoons at a time and work to a dough. The less flour you add, the better. Your gnocchi dough should not be sticky. Turn  dough out onto a floured surface. Form it into long, finger-thick rolls.  Cut each roll into inch-long pieces.
 
Boil  gnocchi in salty water for about 3 minutes. Once they float up to the surface, take gnocchi from the pan with a slotted spoon and drain them.
 
Transfer to a large bowl and add some parsley pesto on top.  Serve with parmesan cheese. 
 
Parsley Pesto 

1/2 cup shelled walnuts 
1 cup chopped parsley, 
1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
Sea salt
2-3 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice  
   
Combine all ingredients in a food processor; cover and puree until smooth, for 20-30 seconds.  

How to make mashed potatoes*:  

Place peeled and roughly cut potatoes in a large pot and add enough water to cover. You might add celery stalks as well.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook for about 20-25 minutes, until easily pierced in the center with a fork. Drain, discard celery and let potatoes cool. Pass potatoes through a food mill fitted with a medium-hole dish or through a ricer into a large mixing bowl. Potato masher works  perfectly too.

Sincerely Yours,

Nellie