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A sformato is a close cousin to the soufflé. It has all the same creamy custard-y goodness, but without the hassle of whipping egg whites or the anxiety of collapsing domes. It’s meant to be rather humble. This is also an easy dish to make gluten-free, and it works well as the first course for a fancy dinner or as a light lunch with a salad.
Like a soufflé, a sformato starts off with a bechamel sauce. We use sweet rice flour to make a gluten-free bechamel, but you can use regular all-purpose flour or a gluten-free flour mix in its place. To the bechamel base, we add silky sweet potatoes and a healthy amount of asiago cheese to make a rich and satisfying custard.
We like baking this dish individual ramekins. There’s something very satisfying and personal about scooping bites from one’s own little bowl. We’ve also made this sformato in an 8×8 baking dish and 2-liter casserole dish, and extended the cooking time by 10-15 minutes.
Take a look at the “Notes” section below for more ideas on adapting this dish!
Serves 6
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups
grated asiago cheese, loosely packed
- 1.5 pounds
(2 average-sized) sweet potatoes
- 3 cups
whole or 2% milk
- 4 tablespoons
unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing the ramekins
- 1/4 cup
sweet rice flour (or regular all-purpose flour)
- 1 teaspoon
salt
- 1 tablespoon
minced thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon
freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon
black pepper
- 2
large eggs
- 1
large yolk
Instructions
Heat the oven to 400°F. Rub the insides of six 8-ounce ramekins with butter and sprinkle with 1/4 cup of the asiago cheese. Cheese should stick to the bottom and sides of the ramekin in a single layer.
Prick the sweet potatoes all over with a fork and place them on a microwave-safe plate lined with a paper towel. Microwave on high in 3-minute intervals, turning the potatoes between each interval and testing them for doneness. It should take 9-12 minutes total for the sweet potatoes to completely soften. Allow the potatoes to cool enough to handle. (Alternatively, you can wrap the potatoes in foil and roast them in a 400°F oven until soft.)
Meanwhile begin making the bechamel. Warm the milk in a small saucepan until it just barely starts to steam (or microwave to warm). Remove from heat. In another pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and stir until a thick paste is formed, 3-5 minutes. Add the milk a little at a time while whisking the butter-flour mixture. Wait to add more milk until the mixture becomes smooth and creamy again. Once all the milk is added, simmer and stir the bechamel until it starts to thicken. Remove from heat and set aside to cool to room temperature.
Peel the sweet potatoes and mash the insides in a large mixing bowl. Add one cup of the cheese (reserving the last 1/4 cup for topping), the thyme, the nutmeg, and the black pepper. Stir in the cooled bechamel sauce a little at a time to achieve a smooth pudding-like consistency. Before adding the eggs, taste the mixture and add more salt or pepper if desired. Whisk the eggs and yolks together and stir them into the sweet potato mixture.
Place all the ramekins on a baking sheet (a silpat can help keep them from slipping around). Fill the ramekins to within 1/2 inch of the top. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the tops are puffed and beginning to brown in spots. Five minutes before the end of cooking, sprinkle each sformato with a little of the reserved cheese.
Allow the sformatos to cool for about 10 minutes before serving. Leftovers can be kept refrigerated for up to a week and do well reheated for a few minutes in the microwave or a toaster oven.
Recipe Notes
• Vegetable Substitutes - Try substituting 2 cups of vegetable puree for the sweet potatoes. Squash, cauliflower, and even mushrooms work very well.
• Alternate Spices - We make a fantastic southwestern version of this dish with a few teaspoons of chili powder. Sage and rosemary are also very good in place of the thyme.
• Make it a Meal - To make the sformato more filling, you can add a spoonful of cooked sausage, crumbled bacon, or sautéed mushrooms to each ramekin before filling them.
FAQs
Red sweet potatoes have reddish-brown skin with orange flesh, while white sweet potatoes have tan or light brown skin with white or cream-colored flesh. red sweet potatoes tend to have higher levels of antioxidants, particularly anthocyanins, which give them their reddish color.
Is Hannah a sweet potato? ›
Hannahs are dense, firm, and creamy, and much less prone to becoming waterlogged than orange sweet potatoes. Their firmness and dense texture makes Hannah sweet potatoes ideal for roasting in chunks, turning into fries, or mashing as a side dish.
Do sweet potatoes have gluten in them? ›
Are Sweet Potatoes Gluten-Free? Yes, sweet potatoes are also naturally gluten-free. However, as with regular potatoes, when cooking them, you need to ensure that there are no gluten-containing ingredients.
What do red sweet potatoes look like? ›
Red Sweet Potatoes
Extra-moist and flavorful, with orange flesh and a red-copper to plum skin color. Red sweet potato varieties include the Diane, Vermillion, Burgundy and Garnet. Commonly referred to as “Yams”, red sweet potatoes are the most popular sweet potato west of the Rockies.
Which has more sugar sweet potato or regular potato? ›
Sweet potatoes contain more calories, carbohydrates and fat than regular boiled potato, but the regular potato had more protein. Perhaps unsurprisingly, boiled sweet potatoes contain more than 14 times the amount of sugar of regular boiled potatoes (11.6g compared to 0.8g per 100g).
Are sweet potatoes better to eat than regular potatoes? ›
Though they can both be part of a healthy diet, sweet potatoes are generally healthier than regular potatoes, partly because of their incredibly high vitamin A content. Sweet potatoes are also lower on the glycemic index, meaning that they are less likely than regular potatoes to make your blood sugar spike.
What is the difference between Japanese sweet potatoes and Caribbean sweet potatoes? ›
The two most common white-fleshed sweet potatoes are Boniato, also called batata, or Cuban sweet potato, and the Japanese sweet potato, also called the satsuma-imo. The big difference between the two is the skin color: Japanese sweet potatoes have a pinkish brown skin and the outer skin of a boniato is light tan.
What are the 4 types of sweet potatoes? ›
Sweet Potato Guide. There are five main types of sweet potato that are commonly consumed today—Garnet, Hannah, Japanese, Jewel, and Purple Stoke. While all are delicious, each variety has its own distinct flavor and texture that lends itself to a variety of cooking applications.
What is the difference between Japanese sweet potatoes and American sweet potatoes? ›
Because they're a little drier and starchier than other varieties, Japanese sweet potatoes have a distinct creaminess and a fluffier, lighter texture, a little more like a regular baking potato than a standard orange sweet potato. They also have a particularly sweet yet, subtle flavor compared to many other varieties.
Does oatmeal have gluten? ›
Yes, pure, uncontaminated oats are gluten-free. The U. S. Food and Drug Administration considers oats a gluten-free grain under its gluten-free labeling regulations and only requires that packaged products with oats as an ingredient contain less than 20 parts per million of gluten overall.
The short answer is yes, olive oil is gluten-free. Extra virgin olive oil is made from the juice of olive fruits, which contain no gluten. As a result, olive oil itself is gluten-free and thus suitable for all gluten-free diets. In fact, most cooking oils are naturally gluten-free.
Does butter have gluten? ›
The short answer is that butter is naturally gluten-free, but there are some situations where you need to be careful. Any butter that has added flavorings could potentially contain some gluten. Plain butter is a safe bet, but if you're trying a new brand, it's always a good idea to check the label.
Which color sweet potato is healthiest? ›
Sweet Potatoes and Health
Sweet potatoes with orange flesh are richest in beta-carotene. Sweet potatoes with purple flesh are richer in anthocyanins. Beta-carotene and anthocyanins are naturally occurring plant “phyto” chemicals that give vegetables their bright colors.
Are yams and sweet potatoes the same? ›
No, yams and sweet potatoes are not the same. Yams have rough, dark brown skin that is often compared to tree bark, and their flesh is dry and starchy like a regular potato. Sweet potatoes have smooth reddish skin, softer flesh (when cooked), and a sweet flavor.
What is the best sweet potato? ›
While Beauregards may be the most common sweet potato, Jewels are right next to them in terms of being a great, classic sweet potato. They have a pretty, thin orange skin, and bright orange flesh that screams "sweet potato." (Or "yam," wrong as that may be. Shrug.)
Which kind of sweet potato is healthiest? ›
Sweet Potatoes and Health
Sweet potatoes with orange flesh are richest in beta-carotene. Sweet potatoes with purple flesh are richer in anthocyanins. Beta-carotene and anthocyanins are naturally occurring plant “phyto” chemicals that give vegetables their bright colors.
Which sweet potato is better white or red? ›
White-fleshed sweet potatoes have a milder flavor and a drier, starchier texture compared to orange sweet potatoes. They are lower in beta-carotene but still contain essential nutrients like vitamin C, potassium, and dietary fiber.
What type of sweet potato is best? ›
While Beauregards may be the most common sweet potato, Jewels are right next to them in terms of being a great, classic sweet potato. They have a pretty, thin orange skin, and bright orange flesh that screams "sweet potato." (Or "yam," wrong as that may be. Shrug.)
Are red sweet potatoes good for you? ›
Sweet potatoes are nutritious, packing a good amount of vitamin A, vitamin C, and manganese into each serving. They also have anticancer properties and may promote immune function and other health benefits.
