Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Caramelized Shallot Rings

2 large sweet potatoes, well scrubbed
1 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon of salt
1/8 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons of your favorite olive oil
3 or 4 shallots, to your taste, thinly sliced and pulled apart into rings
1 teaspoon of minced fresh marjoram leaves

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Pierce the potatoes with a fork in several places and bake until soft, about an hour.

Remove the potatoes from the oven and allow them to cool slightly.

Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F.

While the potatoes are baking, place the flour in a large bowl and sprinkle with the salt and the pepper.

As soon as the potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel them, then run them through a potato ricer, or mash with a potato masher until they are fluffy.

Make a well in the center of the flour and place the potatoes in the well. Using a spoon, gradually draw the flour in the potatoes until a dough is formed. Knead the dough for 5 minutes, then divide it into 6 equal pieces.

On a floured board, roll each piece of dough under the palms of your hand into a rope about 1/2-inch in diameter.

With a knife, cute each rope into 3/4-inch long pieces.

Roll each piece briefly on the board with your hand to round off the edges. Press the tines of a fork onto each piece to achieve the classic gnocchi shape.

Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and add the gnocchi. Cook until the gnocchi float to the top, perhaps 1 to 3 minutes.

Remove the gnocchi from the water with a slotted spoon and place in a colander to drain well. Then place the gnocchi on a baking sheet, arrange them in a single layer, and place them in the 300 degree oven to keep warm while you prepare the shallots.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are crisp and golden brown, about 10 minutes.

Remove the gnocchi from the oven, sprinkle with the marjoram and the shallots and drizzle with the oil in which the shallots were cooked.

Transfer to a serving dish and serve hot.