Sweet Potato Gnudi, Sherry Mushroom Gravy & Seared Pork Tenderloin

A word that kids will snicker at.

Yes, it is as it sounds....nudie

Gnudi is ravioli filling....simple as that.
I have made Spinach Ricotta Gnudi but I want to make sweet potato gnudi and there are no potatoes in a gnudi.

Then I thought of Malfatti.

Malfatti is a dumpling made with left-over bread and although I have made sweet potato rolls, I did not want to go to all the trouble of making sweet potato rolls just to dry them, chop them and mix them with speck and onions to make a dumpling.

I looked on the internet for a sweet potato gnudi recipe.

Guess what I found?

Yup, nothing.

So I guess I have to make my own. I took my sweet potato roll recipe, my spinach gnudi recipe, a malfatti recipe and a canderli recipe, took a few ingredients from each and rolled them all into one.

The reason for sweet potato gnudi or even gnocchi for that matter instead of the regular potato kind?

Sweet potatoes are better than white potatoes for a Diabetic, they are higher in nutritionals than a white potato and they have more flavor.

That is enough for me right there.

This is what I developed:

I baked the sweet potatoes in their skins for 1 to 1 1/2 hour on 350F or until a knife goes through it without resistance.

Let them cool to the touch, slice in half and scoop out the flesh into a large mixing bowl.
This is where you add things to get a certain consistency. I added a 1/4 cup whole milk ricotta, 1/2 cup Romano cheese, salt & pepper, sauteed 3 garlic cloves and half a sweet onion (minced fine), 3/4 cup egg beaters (or 3 large eggs, beaten), 2 cups of flour and 1/2 cup of dried bread crumbs to start. I also sauteed 4oz of leftover sausage roll (from my turkey stuffing) into the mix.

The flour is added after everything else is mixed thoroughly. You add all the flour at first. I mix mine in the KitchenAide and drop a sample into boiling water. If it falls apart I mix in more flour, test again until it simmers and stays whole. I found that once they float to the top I give them 45 seconds and strain them to a baking sheet pan to dry. This step is crucial. You do not want mushy gnudi. Best thing would be if you could make them a day or two in advance or freeze them, defrost them and saute them in some brown butter and sage before serving.

They remind me of matzoh balls. I suppose you could even poach them in a chicken broth and serve as is. The problem with that is the liquid gets cloudy, full of the bits that separate from the gnudi and after a while you have to pour it down the drain and start over with fresh salted water.

Pork Tenderloin and Sherry Mushroom Gravy with Gnudi
* 1 lb pork tenderloin, trimmed of silverskin
* 1 cup chicken broth
* 1/4 cup heavy cream
* 1/3 cup dried porcini mushrooms
* 1/3 cup sherry
* 1/2 tsp herbs de provence
* salt & pepper
* 1 tbls unsalted butter
* 1 tsp canola oil
* 1/2 large shallot, minced
* 1 tbls flour

Cut tenderloin into 2" pieces and flatten with fingers.
Salt & pepper both sides.
In saute pan, heat canola oil and saute tenderloin pieces on both sides. Remove and cover with foil.
Place sherry and chicken broth in sauce pan and heat until boiling. Shut off and throw in dried porcinis.
Saute shallots in butter until soft, add flour and make a roux. Add mushroom soaking liquid.
Chop mushroom and add to gravy. Add cream and salt & pepper to taste.
Simmer with herbs and pork until pork is springy to the touch. Add 12 gnudi to gravy and heat through.
Serve with Caramelized Creamed Cauliflower and a Pinot Noir.