The pumpkin gnocchi without potatoes is a simple and genuine recipe, especially popular during the autumn season and particularly in the Mantua area, a region that produces delicious pumpkins in the fall, particularly suitable for this preparation. Pumpkin gnocchi can actually be made with the addition of potatoes, but if you want to fully enjoy the flavor of the pumpkin, pumpkin gnocchi without potatoes is, in my opinion, the best choice.
As I mentioned, to prepare pumpkin gnocchi without potatoes, it is good to use Mantua pumpkin or Delica; these varieties have compact and low-moisture pulp, allowing you to use less flour and thus obtain softer and tastier pumpkin gnocchi. For the same purpose, to prepare pumpkin gnocchi, it’s best to cook the pumpkin in a way that it does not absorb water: do not boil it, but bake it in foil in the oven or microwave and let it cool very well before adding the flour. Unlike the traditional potato gnocchi recipe, pumpkin gnocchi without potatoes also includes an egg, which ensures the gnocchi remain intact during cooking.
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Rest time: 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 40 Minutes
- Portions: 4 people
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Regional Italian
- Region: Lombardy
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
- Energy 355.19 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 79.23 (g) of which sugars 9.87 (g)
- Proteins 12.24 (g)
- Fat 2.14 (g) of which saturated 0.67 (g)of which unsaturated 0.87 (g)
- Fibers 7.43 (g)
- Sodium 131.94 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 250 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for about 2 lbs of pumpkin gnocchi
With these quantities, you will obtain approximately 2 lbs of pumpkin gnocchi, enough for 4-5 people. To prepare the gluten-free pumpkin gnocchi, I used a specific mix for fresh gluten-free pasta instead of all-purpose flour.
- 3.5 lbs Mantua pumpkin (or Delica; weighed whole with skin and seeds; approximately 1.4 lbs of cooked pulp)
- 50 g egg (1 small egg)
- as needed all-purpose flour (about 2 cups)
- 1 pinch nutmeg
- 1 pinch salt
Tools
- 1 Blender / Mixer large
- 1 Microwave Oven
- 1 Knife
- 1 Fork
How to prepare pumpkin gnocchi without potatoes
To prepare pumpkin gnocchi without potatoes, start by cooking the pumpkin; if you have a microwave, it will be very quick: follow the instructions you find here. If you don’t have a microwave, cut the pumpkin into wedges and wrap each wedge in aluminum foil (1).
Bake the pumpkin in a preheated oven at 392°F (static) for about 25 minutes, after which open the packets (2) and pierce the pumpkin slices with a fork, which should penetrate the flesh easily (3). If not, continue cooking for another 5-10 minutes.
Once the pumpkin is cooked, let it cool slightly, then remove the skin with a knife and cut it into pieces. You should obtain approximately 21-23 oz of cooked pulp. Put it in a mixer (4), add salt, and blend for a few seconds until you obtain a homogeneous puree (5).
If you used Mantua pumpkin, as the pulp is quite sticky, it will tend to stick to the sides of the mixer, and you will need to stir it occasionally with a spoon. For this reason, if you prefer, you can use a manual food mill instead of the mixer.
Let the pumpkin cool completely, then add the nutmeg and the egg (6). I prefer to beat it first in a small bowl so I can add just the right amount, which is 50 g, equivalent to about a small egg.
After adding the egg, mix the mixture well to distribute it evenly (7). At this point, start adding the flour little by little (8). Unfortunately, it is impossible to provide the exact quantity of flour: in the many times I have prepared pumpkin gnocchi without potatoes, I have always used different amounts because it depends a lot on the type of pumpkin used and also its degree of ripeness.
The advice is to add it little by little, mixing it carefully until you obtain a dense mixture that can be worked with your hands (9). Just to give an idea, consider about 1.5 to 2 cups of flour.
When the mixture is more consistent, turn it onto the work surface (10) and knead it with your hands, always helping yourself with a little flour, until you obtain a homogeneous dough (11). Then make rolls from it (12).
Form the pumpkin gnocchi by cutting them with a knife (13): you can decide to make them smaller, like pearls, cutting them about 0.5 inches apart or larger, about 1 inch. If you want, you can score them with a gnocchi board or by passing them one by one over the tines of a fork (14).
As you prepare the pumpkin gnocchi, place them on a tray covered with parchment paper or lightly floured (15). Cook the pumpkin gnocchi a few at a time in boiling salted water, draining them with a slotted spoon as soon as they float to the surface.
Notes
How to store and freeze pumpkin gnocchi
You can store pumpkin gnocchi in the refrigerator, lightly floured and placed on a tray covered with parchment paper, for about 2-3 hours. To store them longer, it’s best to freeze them: arrange them side by side on a tray in the freezer, and once fully frozen, place them in a freezing plastic bag. When it’s time to cook them, toss them into boiling water without defrosting.
How to season pumpkin gnocchi?
The simplest seasoning for pumpkin gnocchi without potatoes is butter and sage: melt 70 g of butter in a saucepan over low heat with 2 or 3 broken sage leaves. Drizzle it over the freshly drained gnocchi and add Parmesan to taste.
Other interesting pairings for pumpkin gnocchi without potatoes are: gorgonzola fondue, mushroom sauce, a porcini mushroom sauce, walnut sauce, white ragu.
