Sweet potato gnocchi with caper sauce and warm halloumi
Homemade gnocchi is so easy to make and tastes a lot nicer than shop bought. This is served in a caper sauce and topped with warm halloumi.
Ingredients
For the gnocchi
- 1 sweet potato
- 3 free-range egg yolks
- 25–50²µ/1–1¾´Ç³ú plain flour (optional)
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the caper sauce
- knob of butter
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 50ml/2fl oz white wine
- 2 tbsp baby capers
- 3 tbsp chopped fresh flatleaf parsley
- 50ml/2fl oz double cream or yoghurt
- squeeze lemon
- freshly ground black pepper
To serve
Method
To make the gnocchi, preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Place the sweet potato on a baking tray and roast for 45 minutes–1 hour, or until very soft and blistered. Remove from the oven and leave to cool slightly. Peel off the skin and mash thoroughly. Pass the mash through a fine sieve or potato ricer to obtain a smooth purée. Leave to cool completely.
Mix the sweet potato with the egg yolks and as much flour as necessary to create a smooth dough. Season with salt and pepper and roll into a log. Cut the dough into dumpling shapes of about 2cm/1in. Set aside.
To make the caper sauce, heat the butter in a frying pan and gently fry the shallots until softened. Add the wine and cook until reduced. Add the capers, parsley and cream and bring to the boil. Cook for a few minutes until reduced. Season with the lemon juice and pepper.
To serve, place the halloumi in its sealed plastic packet in a saucepan of boiling water and cook for 20 minutes, until very soft. Remove from the water and carefully remove the halloumi from the packet. Tear or cut into chunks.
Meanwhile, cook the gnocchi in a large saucepan of salted, boiling water for about 2–3 minutes, or until they start to float on the surface of the water. Remove with a slotted spoon and then transfer to a plate to drain.
Serve the gnocchi in warmed bowls, top with the caper sauce and garnish with the sage leaves and halloumi chunks.