Pumpkin gnocchi with sage brown butter
Chef:
Niamh Shields
Prep:
20 mins
Cook:
5 mins
I first had pumpkin gnocchi many years ago when a friend’s father in Naples made them for us for lunch. I was hooked immediately and they have been on the menu ever since. Pumpkin gnocchi are a little tricky to make but, once you get the hang of them, really quick and delicious. You can have a great meal in minutes.
500g roasted pumpkin, mashed
125g plain flour, plus more to dust
generous grating of nutmeg
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
100g unsalted butter
about 12 sage leaves
Parmesan cheese, to serve (optional)
Spread the mashed pumpkin out on a tray or chopping board. Sift over the flour and add the nutmeg and some salt and pepper. Gently combine the flour with the pumpkin using a fork until there are no traces of white. The dough should be starting to come together. Place in a piping bag (see Chefs Tips) or gently, with floured hands, shape them into rolls and cut gnocchi at 2.5cm sections along it.
Cook in simmering water for four to five minutes.
Meanwhile, melt the butter with the sage leaves, which will crisp as they fry. Serve the gnocchi in the melted butter with the crispy sage, shaving a little Parmesan over the top, if you like.
Recipes from ‘Comfort and Spice’ by Niamh Shields, published by Quadrille (www.quadrille.co.uk). Photos © Georgia Glynn Smith
Serves
2
Preparation Time
20 minutes
Cooking Time
5 minutes
Main ingredients
Vegetables
Recipe Type
Dinner, Easy, Entertaining, Family Dinners, Vegetarian
Cuisine
Italian
Special Info
Egg free, Vegetarian
Level of Difficulty
Tricky
There are a few things that you must pay attention to:
Ensure that the pumpkin is roasted until just soft, so that it retains its structure and is not too wet. If the pumpkin is really wet, allow it to drain through a sieve for a few hours. It may seem extreme but it makes a huge difference.
Work the flour in gently and quickly. If you overwork – and this can happen in just minutes – it will become gloopy and unpleasant.
Don’t worry that they are difficult to shape by hand, unlike potato gnocchi. This is the way they are, they’re a little messier and very light. Also don’t worry about making pretty fork shapes or anything like that. They’re too soft.
To make your life that bit easier, instead of rolling by hand, pipe them into the water using a disposable piping bag, cutting them with scissors into the right size as you pipe them out and letting them drop into the pan.
