Description
This Double Pumpkin Gnocchi recipe features soft, pillowy gnocchi made from pumpkin and flour, served with a rich and creamy pumpkin sauce infused with warm spices. Steamed pumpkin is pureed and combined with flour and egg yolk for the gnocchi dough, while the sauce is made by browning butter and blending it with pumpkin puree, cream, parmesan, cinnamon, and nutmeg. The recipe yields a comforting, fall-inspired Italian dish perfect for a cozy meal.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Sauce
- 5 oz pumpkin (140g, peeled and deseeded weight)
- 1/2 tbsp butter (5g)
- 1/4 cup light stock (60ml/4 tbsp)
- 2 tbsp cream
- 2 tbsp parmesan (5g, finely grated)
- 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
For the Gnocchi
- 12 oz pumpkin (340g, peeled and deseeded weight)
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (210g, plain flour)
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/4 cup parmesan (11g, finely grated)
Instructions
- Prepare the Sauce: Cut the peeled pumpkin (140g) into chunks and steam for approximately 15 minutes until tender. Remove from heat and puree or blend until smooth.
- Brown the Butter and Combine: Warm the butter in a small pan, allowing it to brown slightly and develop a nutty aroma. Add the pumpkin puree, cooking for about one minute.
- Add Remaining Sauce Ingredients: Stir in the light stock, cream, parmesan, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Cook for a couple more minutes until the sauce thickens slightly and the ingredients are well mixed. Set the sauce aside or refrigerate if preparing ahead.
- Prepare the Gnocchi Pumpkin: Cut the peeled and deseeded pumpkin (340g) into chunks and steam until tender to the knife’s point, around 15 minutes.
- Puree and Cool: Puree or blend the steamed pumpkin until smooth and allow it to cool.
- Make the Gnocchi Dough: Add the flour, egg yolk, and parmesan to the cooled pumpkin puree. Mix until well combined; note the dough will be fairly soft.
- Shape the Gnocchi: Lightly flour a work surface. Using floured hands, roll out large spoonfuls of the dough into logs, then cut into 1/2-3/4 inch (about 2 cm) thick sections. Roll each section into a ball and place on a floured surface or plate if chilling for later use.
- Cook the Gnocchi: Bring a shallow, wide pan of water to a boil. Drop in a few gnocchi at a time, taking care not to overcrowd the pan, and keep the water boiling.
- Remove when Cooked: Use a slotted spoon to remove the gnocchi as they rise to the surface. If some gnocchi do not float after a couple of minutes, nudge them gently to prevent sticking.
- Warm the Sauce & Serve: Gently reheat the sauce while cooking the gnocchi. Serve the gnocchi topped with the pumpkin sauce and extra parmesan cheese.
- Optional Freezing: To freeze uncooked gnocchi, lay them out on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Transfer to a freezer bag and cook from frozen when ready, allowing an extra minute for them to float up.
Notes
- You can make the pumpkin sauce in advance and refrigerate until needed.
- Ensure the dough is soft but manageable; adding a little more flour can help if too sticky.
- When boiling gnocchi, avoid overcrowding to prevent sticking and ensure even cooking.
- Freezing uncooked gnocchi is a convenient way to store them for future meals.
- Rolling the gnocchi into balls is optional but helps prevent sticking.
- Use a slotted spoon to gently remove gnocchi from boiling water to avoid breaking.
