For an easier, heartier gnocchi, do as the Romans did

I first had mafé, the West African sauce that's flavored with onions, garlic, tomatoes and chiles and thickened with peanut butter, at Teranga in New York City. Translated from Wolof, teranga means "hospitality." Accordingly, the restaurant, owned by chef Pierre Thiam, serves a menu of comforting, homestyle dishes, mostly from Senegal where Thiam grew up. For a while, I almost exclusively ordered the chicken yassa bowl, because I couldn't get enough of that tangy and sweet caramelized onion sauce. But when I tried the mafé, I was hooked.

So, as soon as I saw Thiam's new cookbook, "Simply West African," I flipped directly to the glossary to see if mafé was listed. Indeed, it was, and I happened to have just about everything on hand to make his recipe for Root Vegetable Mafé.

"Using nuts and seeds to build sauces and stews is seen all across West Africa," Thiam writes, noting that "many who come from West Africa or have spent time there have cravings for [mafé] on a consistent basis because of its signature nuttiness and rich consistency."

It's also a personal favorite of his. "The scent of mafé instantly takes me back to my childhood," Thiam writes. "The peanut-based sauce, also one of the mother sauces of West African cuisine, has some similarities with Mexican mole in that it is a nut-based sauce thickened through slow cooking."

For Thiam's recipe, you start by cooking onions and garlic in a little oil until they soften. Tomato paste goes in next, and you stir that - adding splashes of water to keep it from scorching - until everything darkens to a deep maple brown. A whole lot of creamy, unsweetened peanut butter goes in next. Let that soften for a few seconds, and then deglaze the bottom of the pot with vegetable broth or water. Add a bay leaf and, if you like your food spicy, a whole Scotch bonnet chile. Now, stir well, to allow the peanut butter to melt into the broth. Season the sauce with salt and pepper and let it simmer for a while. You'll know it's ready when small pools of oil rise to the surface. Taste it, and adjust the seasonings to your liking.

"The classic West African mafé almost always has lamb, chicken or fish, but I love the simplicity and elegance of the vegan version that I'm introducing here," Thiam writes. His recipe suggests cassava, carrots, sweet potatoes and turnips. You cut the vegetables into roughly equal-size pieces and then boil them until they're just fork-tender, but not falling apart. Then, you immerse them in the sauce, letting them simmer in its luxurious texture until they're all soft enough to eat with a spoon.

I didn't have any cassava when I made it, so I used a russet potato instead. Feel free to use any vegetables you'd like. Then, serve it with plenty of fonio or rice, for soaking up every wonderful, nutty bit.

ROOT VEGETABLE MAFÉ

SERVINGS: 8

TOTAL TIME: 44 mins

Storage: Refrigerate for up to 4 days.

Make ahead: The vegetables can be parboiled up to 1 day in advance.

• 1 tablespoon neutral oil, such as refined peanut or vegetable • 1 medium yellow onion (8 ounces), diced • 2 cloves garlic, minced or finely grated • 2 tablespoons tomato paste • 2 cups unsweetened creamy peanut butter • 4 cups no-salt-added vegetable broth or water, plus more as needed • 1 bay leaf • 1 Scotch bonnet or habanero chile, left whole (optional) • 1 1/2 teaspoons fine salt, plus more as needed • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper • 4 medium carrots (12 ounces total), cut into 2-inch chunks • 1 large russet potato (10 ounces), peeled and cut into thick wedges • 1 large sweet potato (10 ounces), peeled and cut into thick wedges • 2 medium turnips (8 ounces total), peeled and cut into thick wedges • Cooked fonio or rice, for serving (optional)

STEPS

In a large pot over medium-high heat, heat the oil until it shimmers. Add the onion and garlic, and saute until soft but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and reduce the heat to low. Cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, adding a few tablespoons of water as needed to keep the onion and garlic from scorching, until the tomato paste slightly darkens, about 5 minutes.

Add the peanut butter and stir well, using a wooden spoon, to combine. Add the vegetable broth or water, bay leaf and Scotch bonnet chile. if using. Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally to fully dissolve the peanut butter. Season with the salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the oil rises to the surface, 15 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil over high heat. Drop the carrots, potato, sweet potato and turnips into the boiling water and blanch until they can be pierced with a knife but are still al dente, 5 to 8 minutes, working in batches if the pot is not large enough.

As they are done, use a large slotted spoon to transfer the vegetables to the peanut sauce and continue cooking until they are soft but still hold their shape, about 10 minutes. If cooking the vegetables in batches, transfer them to a large bowl and add all at once to the peanut sauce. Serve family-style with fonio or rice on the side, if desired.

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