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Ethan Brooks

Italian Pumpkin Gnocchi

Pumpkin gnocchi is a tasty first course, an easy recipe made with few ingredients. One above all: the Pumpkin. This is the recipe for pumpkin gnocchi without potatoes, dressed with sage butter sauce. So first of all, use a sweet pumpkin, such a butternut squash or a kabocha squash. Then, if you want to get delicious, soft but compact homemade pumpkin gnocchi, you have to cook the pumpkin in the oven so as to make the pulp dry out.
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Gnocchi, Main Course
Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients
  

  • For Pumpkin Gnocchi
  • 600 g cooked pumpkin pulp 1 pumpkin of about 1.3 kg /2.8 pounds. Use a sweet pumpkin, such a butternut squash or a kabocha squash - 1.3 pounds
  • 300 g all purpose flour - 2 cups
  • 1 medium egg
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 pinch nutmeg
  • For the Seasoning
  • 100 g unsalted butter - ~1 stick
  • 5 fresh sage leaves
  • 1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Method
 

  1. Cut the pumpkin into thin slices then place them on a baking sheet pan covered with baking paper. Cook in a static oven preheated to 200°C (390F) for 15-20 minutes or in a ventilated oven at 180°C (350F) for 10-15 minutes, until they start to slightly dry.
  2. Place the flour on a work surface and, using your hands or a spoon, create the classic fountain shape. Crush the pumpkin with a potato ricer directly on the flour. Add salt and black pepper and flavor with a pinch of nutmeg.
  3. In a little bowl, beat the egg up. Give the mixture again a fountain shape and make a hole in the center then pour the egg. Incorporate it with a fork and work it until it's homogeneous.
  4. Make Gnocchi
  5. Work the dough with your hands as little as possible and quickly. Give it the shape of a loaf. Now cut a piece of pumpkin dough with a dough scraper or a sharp knive.
  6. Then with your hands make a long roll of dough as thick as a finger.
  7. Slice the roll every 1,5/2 cm (about half inch), so as to have small cylinders.
  8. Slide the gnocchi one by one on a gnocchi board to give them the classic striped pattern on the surface (only if they are firm enough, otherwise forget it. They will be delicious all the same!). Homemade pumpkin gnocchi are ready!

Notes

Storage
It's better if you freeze them. Place them, well spaced, on a tray covered with a floured cloth or baking paper. Place the tray into the freezer. Wait for ⅔ hours then transfer them in food plastic bags and put them back into the freezer. Do NOT put freshly-made-still-soft gnocchi in plastic bags, otherwise they will stick to each other!
How to Cook Pumpkin Gnocchi
In a rather large pasta pot, bring the water to a boil and add the necessary coarse salt. When the water boils, add the gnocchi a few at a time. You see that the gnocchi, due to their weight, go to the bottom, especially if they are frozen. Cook over high heat.
After 1 or 2 minutes, the dumplings come to the surface. They are cooked! As soon as they rise to the surface, take them with a skimmer slotted spoon and drain them well. Pumpkin gnocchi are cooked and ready to be seasoned. Let's see how to do it.
How to Serve Pumpkin Gnocchi
In a saucepan, melt the butter and flavor it with the sage leaves on low heat for about 2 minutes.
In a bowl, put ⅔ tablespoons of sage butter sauce. When the gnocchi are cooked, place them in the bowl with the sauce, a few at a time. Finish seasoning them by adding all the sauce. Then add a couple of tablespoons of grated Parmigiano cheese.
Stir gently, from bottom to top so as not to break them. You will see that the gnocchi are creamy, but, if they are not creamy enough, add a tablespoon of cooking water. Add a little Parmigiano on top before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 605kcal
Carbohydrates: 68g
Protein: 20g
Fat: 29g
Saturated Fat: 17g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g
Monounsaturated Fat: 8g
Trans Fat: 1g
Cholesterol: 112mg
Sodium: 725mg
Potassium: 635mg
Fiber: 3g
Sugar: 5g
Vitamin A: 13649IU
Vitamin C: 14mg
Calcium: 351mg
Iron: 5mg