Yam Gnocchi with Lamb Ragu

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Place yam and potatoes onto a parchment lined backing sheet. Bake until skin is easily penetrated with a knife. Once baked, cut in half and allow to “steam”, cooling until slightly warmer than room temperature.

Once cool, scoop out the flesh and pass through a ricer or food mill into a large mixing bowl. Mix in the flour and salt until combined. Knead dough until soft and supple. If dough is too sticky to work with, add additional flour in small increments. Cover and allow dough to rest for 30 minutes.

Cut dough into strips, dust with flour and roll into thin “logs”, approximately ¾” in diameter. Dust a chef’s knife with flour and cut the gnocchi logs in ½” increments. Dust cut gnocchi and transfer to a parchment lined baking tray. Wrap with Saran wrap and place in the freezer until frozen solid.

Once frozen, bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add gnocchi to water, boiling until all pieces float to the surface, with an al dente texture. Meanwhile, set up an ice bath. When cooked, using a slotted spoon, transfer gnocchi to the ice bath. Let drain and cool before transferring back to the baking sheet. Coat with canola oil in preparation for cooking.

In a large pot over medium heat, sweat the onions in olive oil until translucent.

Add ground pork and lamb, cooking until lightly browned. Add diced carrots and celery, cooking until just soft.

Make a small well in the meat, finding a spot where the rendered fat has pooled and add the garlic, fennel and rosemary. Allow the seasoning to fry and become fragrant in the oil.

Next, add brandy and flambé, followed by the white wine. Cook until alcohol has dissipated.

Add tomato paste and chili flakes, cooking for approximately 2 minutes.

Lastly, pour in your preferred stock and stir until thoroughly mixed. Simmer until reduced to a loose sauce. Remove from heat and stir in the whipping cream, salt and pepper.

In a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat add butter and allow to foam and begin to brown. Add the fresh sage and gnocchi. Cook the gnocchi, stirring regularly until caramelized and crisp. Deglaze the pan with white wine, cooking until the wine has reduced to a “creamy” sauce.

Next, mix in stock and lamb ragu, simmering until the sauce reduces and begins to cling to the gnocchi. Add peas. When the sauce has reached a thick consistency, sprinkle in the parsley and drizzling of olive oil, tossing the contents of the pan regularly until the olive oil has emulsified into the sauce.

To plate: Spread the gnocchi and ragu evenly over four plates. Using a microplane grater, shave the Parmesan over each dish. Serve and enjoy!