First, peel and cook the sweet potato. I chose to cook them in a steamer until fork tender; it took about 20 minutes as I chopped them into a few pieces. Alternatively, bake them whole at 375°F covered in foil for 30-35 minutes or until fork-tender. Then, scoop the flesh out of the peel. Mash sweet potatoes and let them cool to room temperature.

In the meantime, prepare the mushroom sauce. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the minced onion and sauté for 5–6 minutes until translucent. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook for 7-8 minutes until they are soft.

Pour in the heavy cream and season with salt, ground pepper, and dried thyme. Stir to combine, and let it simmer for 5-7 minutes to enhance the flavors. Remove the skillet from heat and mix in ½ cup of grated parmesan cheese. Set the sauce aside.

To make the gnocchi, combine all-purpose flour, salt, ground pepper, and parmesan cheese with the mashed sweet potatoes. Work with a potato mash to combine ingredients, and then use your hands to achieve a smooth dough.

Transfer the dough to a flour-dusted surface. Knead the dough for a few minutes until it is pliable. You may need to add a little more flour. The idea is that it doesn’t stick to your hands. But be careful; adding too much flour will make your gnocchi gummy and too dense.

Then, divide the dough into 6 portions and roll each into a sausage about ¾ inch thick. Note: Gnocchis will expand once cooked, so keep that in mind when making them. Always go for a smaller size.

Chop gnocchis out of the sausage, about 1 inch long. Prepare two trays or large plates with flour on the base; you’ll be arranging your gnocchis there in two different batches. Here, it’s key that they have enough flour to avoid sticking when boiling them.

Boil the gnocchi in batches in a large saucepan of boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Once they float to the surface, they're done. Use a slotted spoon to remove them from the water, and keep the water for the next batch.

Finally, reheat the mushroom sauce for one or two minutes and mix in the gnocchi. Coat to toss.

Serve hot with fresh parsley and more parmesan cheese.