Kūmara Gnocchi with Rosso Sauce

For the gnocchi:

Prick the kūmara with a fork then microwave for 10 minutes, or until tender. Alternatively, bake in a 200°C oven for 50 minutes, or put into an air fryer for roughly 20 minutes.

When cool enough to handle, peel off the skins and mash the flesh. While still warm, mix with the salt, egg yolk and 150g flour. Bring together, trying not to overwork the dough. You may need to add another 50g flour, but the mix should be soft.

Bring a pot of water to the boil and season generously with salt.

Cut off a small piece of the dough – this will be your test batch. Sprinkle some flour on a clean bench and roll the dough out into a long sausage shape about 1½ - 2cm thick. Cut into small lengths about 1cm long. If you wish, you can roll each piece down the back of fork tines (this isn’t completely necessary, but the indents do give the sauce something to sit in).

Put a few of the gnocchi into the simmering – not boiling – water. They will sink to the bottom and rise to the top when cooked. If they break up, the rest of the batch will need more flour – re-roll and test again. Once the gnocchi have risen, simmer them for another 30 seconds then remove with a slotted spoon and plunge into iced water.

When you are satisfied that your dough has enough flour, prepare the remaining gnocchi and cook in batches, plunging into cold icy water as you go. Drain when cool and toss with olive oil.

Refrigerate until needed, (ideally no more than 1-2 days).

To serve:

Heat a frying pan and add the spinach to the dry pan, tossing until just wilted. Drain over a sieve to remove excess water.

Add the jar of sauce and swish 1 cup of water into the jar to get the remaining sauce. Add to the pan and heat slowly, then add the gnocchi and cook gently for 3-4 minutes until the gnocchi is heated through. Stir through the spinach, then dish into warmed bowls or plates. Top with parmesan to serve.