Some recipes live in your head; others live in your heart. This dish—Cassava Gnocchi with Egusi, Epis & Smoked Fish—has roots that stretch across continents and cultures, weaving together pieces of my identity, memory, and inspiration in every bite. It’s more than just food; conversation between my past and present, tradition and experimentation. It’s the story of how a plate of gnocchi on the Amalfi Coast collided—beautifully—with the warm, smoky kitchens of West Africa and the spice-lined rhythms of Africa.
What inspired this recipe?
The idea didn’t come to me all at once. It started on a sun-soaked afternoon in southern Italy. I was sitting at a restaurant in Amalfi, watching boats bob along the shore, with a plate of pillowy gnocchi and a glass of wine in front of me. The gnocchi were impossibly soft, the sauce rich and bright—yet deeply comforting. It was one of those meals where you feel like someone’s grandmother cooked it just for you. I remember thinking: This is what comfort tastes like. But as I chewed, I felt something stir—an unspoken craving for flavors that tasted like home. For egusi, smoked fish, and herbaceous punch of epis. That’s when the seed was planted.
I grew up in a space where culinary borders were fluid. Smoked tilapia lived happily beside any starch, and stew pots were often spiced with more than one culture’s seasonings. My heritage dances between African and Caribbean traditions—both rooted in resilience, warmth, and deep, layered flavor. Exploring how these threads could be braided into a single dish felt natural, even necessary.
The birth of Cassava Gnocchi
So, I returned to my kitchen with an idea: What if I replaced the potato in Italian gnocchi with cassava, an ingredient central to African and Caribbean cooking? What if I dressed those gnocchi in a thick, savory egusi sauce—made even more complex by adding epis, the Haitian green seasoning that every Caribbean kitchen swears by? And what if I finished it all with smoky, flaked fish, rich with umami and memory?
What came out of that experiment was nothing short of soul food. Not the kind limited to a single place, but the type that speaks many languages. Cassava gnocchi, light yet chewy, soaked in a nutty, aromatic egusi sauce, and topped with tender flakes of smoked fish, seasoned with the brightness of epis. It was Africa meets Naples meets Port-au-Prince. It was a tribute to heritage, travel, imagination, and flavor.
This dish is for anyone with a foot in two worlds—for those whose recipes can’t be found in one cookbook. It’s for the traveler, the nostalgic cook, the experimental foodie, and the person who wants to eat something that feels as meaningful as it tastes.
Now, let me show you how to make it.
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How to make cassava gnocchi with egusi and smoked fish
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Cassava Gnocchi with egusi and smoked Fish: A Global Comfort Food Fusion
- Prep Time: 1 h
- Cook Time: 30 min
- Total Time: 1h30min
- Yield: 4
- Category: dinner, lunch
- Method: cooking
- Cuisine: african
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
A soulful fusion of African, Caribbean, and Italian culinary traditions.
Ingredients
For the Cassava Gnocchi:
- 2 cups cooked cassava (peeled and boiled until soft, fibers removed)
- 1/4–1/2 cup cassava flour or all purpose flour (adjust as needed for dough texture)
- Salt, to taste
For the Egusi-Epis Sauce: Here is the recipe
For the Smoked Fish Topping:
- 1 cup flaked smoked mackerel or smoked tilapia (soaked in hot water)
- Garnish: fresh parsley, basil, or even scent leaf if available
Instructions
Prepare the Cassava Gnocchi
If starting from fresh cassava:
- Peel and cut cassava into chunks. Boil in salted water until very soft.
- Remove the tough central vein. Mash until smooth using a potato masher or food processor.
Make the dough:
- Place mashed cassava on a flat surface.
- Gradually mix in cassava flour until a pliable dough forms—soft, not sticky.
- Divide the dough into sections, roll each into a rope about ¾-inch thick, and cut into bite-sized pieces.
- Optional: Use a fork to add light ridges (they help hold sauce).
- Boil water. Drop gnocchi in; they’re ready when they float (2–3 minutes). Set aside.
2. Make the Egusi-Epis Sauce
- Heat olive oil in a deep skillet or saucepan.
- Sauté chopped onion, cook until translucent.
- Stir in green peppers and epis-egusi mixture. Let it cook for 2–3 minutes until fragrant.
- Add chicken stock and water. Let it simmer until reduced and thickened—about 5–7 minutes.
- Pour more water and bouillon if needed.
- Add smoked fish, gnocchi. Simmer on low heat, stirring occasionally until the sauce thickens into a creamy, nutty stew (about 10 minutes).
Optional: Stir in any green vegetables of your choice.
3. Assemble and Serve
- Gently fold the cooked gnocchi into the egusi-epis sauce. Coat thoroughly but avoid over-mixing to prevent breaking the gnocchi.
- Plate generously. Top with flaked smoked fish.
- Garnish with fresh herbs of your choice—parsley, basil, or something more traditional like scent leaf if available.
- Serve hot and enjoy the cultural harmony on your plate.
Notes
- Epis Seasoning: A staple in Haitian and some Caribbean kitchens, epis is a blended mix of herbs, onions, garlic, bell peppers, citrus juice, and olive oil. It adds brightness and depth to sauces and stews. You can make a batch at home and freeze it in cubes for easy use.
[Bonus: see below for a quick epis recipe.] - Cassava Gnocchi Tips: The key is to keep the dough soft but not sticky. Cassava can be starchy or fibrous depending on the variety, so feel free to adjust flour quantity as needed. If you want a chewier texture, you can mix in a bit of tapioca flour.
- Egusi Sauce Texture: This dish uses a smoother egusi technique than the traditional lumpy method found in some Nigerian and Congolese recipes. Feel free to experiment with your preferred style!
- Make Ahead: The gnocchi can be shaped and frozen in a single layer. Boil straight from frozen—no need to thaw.
- Protein Swap: Not into smoked fish? Try grilled shrimp, roasted mushrooms, or shredded roast chicken.
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