Pumpkin gnocchi with beetroot in butter and sage
This month, the Club del 27 editorial team has already thought of Christmas and proposed us to prepare some recipes from the book “Festive” by Julia Stix and Eva Fischer (a collection of delicious holiday recipes) that will all be gathered in this Advent Calendar containing a different recipe each day, published on MTChallenge.
Since I love homemade gnocchi in any sauce, I chose to make this autumnal recipe of pumpkin gnocchi with beetroot, where the red of the beetroot stands out even on Christmas tables, they are truly delicious and unique, and the beetroot pairs beautifully with the pumpkin.
An unusual autumnal first course that will amaze your guests with its flavor and aesthetics.
You might also be interested in:
All About PUMPKIN: from sweet to savory: in this Collection, you will find many recipes (both sweet and savory) along with tips on how to choose, clean, cut, cook, and preserve pumpkin, with all the information on the nutritional properties of pumpkin!
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Cheap
- Preparation time: 40 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter, Christmas
Ingredients for Pumpkin Gnocchi with Beetroot in Butter and Sage
- 2.2 lbs pumpkin (low water content, I used Delica)
- 18 oz potatoes (yellow-fleshed)
- 18 oz red beets, cooked, boiled
- 4 tbsp semolina (I used 1 cup semolina, you can also use re-milled semolina)
- 1 egg yolk
- to taste salt
- to taste pepper (black)
- to taste nutmeg (freshly grated)
- to taste lemon juice (optional)
- to taste all-purpose flour (for dusting the surface)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 20 leaves sage (approximately)
- 10 leaves basil (approximately)
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp butter
- 4.2 oz Parmesan cheese (shaved or grated)
Tools
- Bowls set of Guzzini bowls in various sizes
- Cutting Board with two integrated side trays, also oven-safe
- Hand Blender Braun, 1200 W power and accessories
- Potato Masher electric Braun, accessory for the Braun hand blender, finely purees cooked potatoes and vegetables
- Saucepans
- Frying Pan
- Baking Tray
Steps for Pumpkin Gnocchi with Beetroot in Butter and Sage
Preheat the oven to 392°F (200°C). Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
Clean and cut the pumpkin into 6 wedges. Place them on the tray and bake for about 35 minutes.
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Meanwhile, boil the potatoes in salted cold water, cook for 30 minutes from boiling. Then drain them and set aside until cool enough to handle.
Once the potatoes are cooled, peel them and pass them through a potato masher (I use the convenient electric potato masher by Braun, see Buying Tips at the end of the article)
Remove the pumpkin from the oven, once it is cooled and well dried, mash the pumpkin and combine it with the potatoes.
It is important that the pumpkin is perfectly dry, otherwise the dough will be sticky.
Then season the dough with salt, pepper, nutmeg, and lemon juice to taste. Also add the egg yolk and semolina (or re-milled semolina) and gently mix with a wooden spoon to get a smooth dough.
If the dough is too sticky, add a bit more semolina (or re-milled semolina).
Form the dough into rolls about ¾ inch (2 cm) thick, then cut into pieces of ¾ inch (2 cm). With floured hands, shape the pieces into balls, then gently mark the balls with a fork (optional).
Transfer the gnocchi to a tray dusted with flour. Cook the gnocchi in batches in a saucepan of salted boiling water, for about 3 minutes or until they rise to the surface.
Remove the gnocchi with a slotted spoon and set them aside in a bowl.
Meanwhile, dice the beetroot (I buy it vacuum-packed, already cooked).
For the butter and sage sauce, halve the garlic cloves and crush them with the back of a knife. Slice the sage leaves into strips.
Heat half the oil and butter in a frying pan over medium heat.Sauté the garlic and sage for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a plate.
Heat the remaining oil and butter and briefly toss the gnocchi in this dressing.
Add the sliced beetroot to the gnocchi, the garlic and sage, off the heat, and mix well to flavor everything.
Finally, sprinkle with basil and Parmesan. Serve immediately.
Notes and Tips
The pumpkin should be very dry (preferably the Delica type).
Therefore, adjust the amount of semolina (or re-milled semolina) depending on the type of pumpkin used; the dough should not be sticky, so in that case, you can add more semolina (or re-milled semolina).
Add the beetroot at the end, otherwise the gnocchi will turn completely red with the heat from the pan.
Add the beetroot at the end, otherwise the gnocchi will turn completely red with the heat from the pan.
Shopping Tips!
To mash the potatoes and pumpkin, I used my handy electric potato masher which finely purees any type of cooked vegetable, it’s an accessory already included with my convenient Braun MultiQuick 9 Hand Blender, an appliance that has become indispensable in my kitchen, in addition to having 1200 W of power, it comes with very useful accessories (such as: the electric potato masher, the immersion blender, the chopper, the ice crusher, and more), which you can purchase at a special price on Amazon.
Read my review for GialloZafferano on the Hand Blender “Braun MQ9045 MultiQuick 9”.
Read my review for GialloZafferano on the Hand Blender “Braun MQ9045 MultiQuick 9”.
FAQ
How to clean pre-cooked red beets?
Place the beets under a running stream of fresh water and gently rub to clean. If there’s a lot of dirt, you can also soak the beetroot in fresh water for 15-20 minutes, then rinse and drain well.
How to store pre-cooked red beetroot?
If you have leftover pre-cooked red beetroot, store it in the refrigerator within three days, preferably in airtight containers.
