Sweet Potato Alfredo Penne

Supercharge your meals with Australian Sweet Potatoes

Sweet region - Almost all of Australia's sweet potatoes are grown in Queensland, with Bundaberg being the dominant region.
Sweet on you - the longer a sweet potato stays growing underground, the sweeter its flavour will be. So sweet taters that hibernate under the soil in winter turn out sweeter than those that grow rapidly in the heat of summer – who'd have thought!
Slow & steady - Sweet potatoes planted in summer are only in the ground for 5 months, while crops planted in spring or autumn can take up to 10 months until they're harvested!
Chameleon skin - the colour of sweet potato skin changes based on the season it's picked. Sweet potatoes harvested in the summer are pinker while the winter crop appears more pale and aged but is still super tasty.

Selecting, Storing and Preparing

Perfect pick – Look for sweet potatoes with unblemished skin and a pinkish colour. Also, make sure they are firm all over and don't have any soft spots.
Fridge vs. pantry – the debate has finally been settled, but there isn't a winner. Sweet potatoes are happy residing in either the fridge or pantry! They don't like arctic temperatures though, so check the settings on your fridge aren't too low or they'll freeze!
Hey there sprout – Are your spuds growing shoots? Step away from the bin! Just snap any shoots off and cook your sweet taters as normal – sometimes they are actually tastier and sweeter after sprouting!

Tricks and Tips

Sneaky spuds – Sweet potatoes can easily be disguised in a white potato mash. Combine your sweet roots with white potatoes and mash it up all together – even those fussy eaters won't notice the difference!
Boost with butter – Adding a dollop of butter to your sweet potato mash can actually help increase your absorption of Vitamin A.
Spudtacular goodness – Don't peel away the goodness from your sweet taters. Eating the skin lowers your glycemic index and adds valuable nutrients to your meal. Just remember to scrub well before cooking!

Sweet Potato Alfredo Penne

Serves: 4
Preparation: 20 minutes
Cooking: 25 minutes

 

Ingredients

400g Sweet Potato, peeled, chopped
1½ cups milk
375g penne
1 tablespoon oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
60g baby spinach leaves
½ cup finely grated parmesan

Method

Preheat oven to 220C/200C. Place sweet potato on a baking paper lined oven tray.
Drizzle with oil and bake for 15-20 minutes until tender. Puree with 1 cup milk until smooth.
Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large saucepan until al dente. Drain well.

Heat remaining oil in large pan and sauté garlic for 1 minute. Add puree, pasta and chicken to pan. Cook, stirring for 2 minutes until hot. Stir in remaining milk and spinach. Cook, stirring, until spinach has wilted.
Remove from heat and stir in parmesan. Season to taste.
Serve topped with extra parmesan.
Tip: Stir cooked, shredded chicken, canned tuna or crispy salami through pasta if preferred.