African Potato Gnocci #SP5

Official Contest Entry: Simply Potatoes 5Fix. Contemporary take on gnocchi by taking two classic cultures and fusing them together. Interesting fact: The only other cuisine in Ethiopia is Italian cuisine because the Italians ruled Ethiopia for so long.

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• For the actual Gnocchi

• 1 (16 ounce) bag  Simply Potatoes Traditional Mashed Potatoes
• 1  tablespoon berbere, spice
• 8  roasted garlic cloves
• 1⁄4 cup whole wheat flour

• For the entree

• 8  cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
• 4  scallions, sliced on the bias
• 4  okra, cut in half
• 1  sweet potato, cubed

• For the sauce

• 1⁄2 cup  sweet  potato water
• 1  tablespoon  natural-style peanut butter
• 1  teaspoon tomato paste
• 2  ounces  fresh yellow onions
• 1  garlic clove
• 1  ounce  fresh jalapeno
• 1  sprig fresh thyme
• 1  bay leaf
• 1⁄2 ounce ginger (Freshly ground)
• 1  tablespoon  peanut oil

Directions

1. For the gnocchi:
2. Mix all ingredients in a bowl until just barely stiff.
3. Roll into log and cut inch pieces. Put a medium pot of water on to boil with a little salt. Once boiling, add gnocchi pieces and cook for 5 minutes. Take out and put on sheet tray and pop in the freezer.
4. Prepping the entrée:
5. Dice the sweet potatoes into medium cubes. Put cubes in a small pot of cold water. Bring to a boil and cook until just cooked. Save water for sauce.
6. Slice tomatoes, okra and scallions.
7. For the sauce:
8. Put garlic, onion and ginger in a small blender. Add a little sweet potato water if not blending to a paste.
9. Small dice the jalapeno. Sautee in a medium pan with peanut oil.
10. Add garlic, onion & ginger paste. Sautee with jalapeno and add thyme and bay leaf. Once fragrant, add tomato paste, natural peanut butter, and sweet potato water. Whisk until thick.
11. Assembling the meal:
12. Take gnocchi out of the freezer. They should be cooled completely. Heat sautee pan to medium heat and a little peanut oil. Throw in gnocchi & entrée veggies and sautee until gnocchi has a little color. Add sauce and serve.