Sweet Potato and Sage Gnocchi with Lardons, Kale and Pecans by Tess Ward

Sweet Potato and Sage Gnocchi with Lardons, Kale and Pecans by Tess Ward'

We recently interviewed Tess Ward about her healthy and tasty approach to cooking.  Click here to read the feature... Ingredients • 1kg of sweet potato • 300g ricotta • 1 egg • 275g flour • a pinch of nutmeg • 2 tablespoons finely chopped sage • 1 tsp salt and ground black pepper • 50g bacon lardons • 1 bunch kale, stalks removed and chopped • 2 cloves garlic, chopped • lemon, to taste • extra virgin olive oil • toasted pecans   Preheat the oven to 180°C/ gas mark 4 Bake the sweet potato until cooked through, approximately 45 minutes to an hour. When cool enough to handle, remove the skin. Add the flesh to a large bowl. Use a fork to mash it up. Allow to cool slightly, then mash the ricotta and egg into the sweet potato. Sift the flour over the sweet potato mixture and use your hands to mix in well. Add the sage, nutmeg and salt and pepper, mix together to form a soft dough. Roll out the dough into long sausages.With a sharp knife cut into 2.5cm wide dumplings. Saute the lardons in a large frying pan, until they start to turn crispy. Add the garlic and continue frying for a minute, then add the kale. Continue to cook for a couple of minutes, until the kale begins to wilt, then remove from the heat. Bring a pan of salted water to the boil. Drop in the gnocchi and cook for 2 minutes, or until they rise to the surface. Drain, reserving a little cooking water. Heat the large frying pan with the kale on high, add the butter. When it begins to foam, add the gnocchi and gently toss for a minute or too. Serve the gnocchi in bowls, topped with the toasted pecans.