As already mentioned on other occasions, I love making homemade gnocchi, so much so that recently I also experimented with the eggplant version (HERE THE RECIPE). This version I propose instead is pumpkin-based and is very delicate! Many people make this basic dish using an egg yolk in the dough to better bind the ingredients, but, considering that potatoes perfectly fulfill this function, I chose to create lighter and healthier gnocchi, replacing the egg with a potato. The important thing is that you choose the right one, that is, white-fleshed (like Majestic, to be clear) as it is more starchy and able to absorb less flour!
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Rest time: 10 Minutes
- Preparation time: 45 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients:
- 1.43 lbs Pumpkin flesh already peeled
- 2.5 cups All-purpose flour
- 1 Potato
- to taste Nutmeg
- 1 pinch Salt
Preparation
Place the pumpkin sliced thick on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper along with the potato unpeeled, and also cut into 4 parts. Cook them at 392°F for 30 minutes, or until cooked. Once the time has passed, pass the pumpkin and potatoes through a potato masher* and knead in a large bowl with the flour, which you will add little by little, then the nutmeg to taste and a pinch of salt (fig. 1).
Work the dough as little as possible and quickly with your hands (fig. 2).
Form a homogeneous and compact dough (fig. 3).
Let it rest at room temperature covered with a towel for at least 10 minutes. Once the resting time is over, take the dough, sprinkle the worktop with a little flour and take a small piece of dough. Shape it into a log and cut it into small pieces about 0.6-0.8 inches in size (fig. 4).
Repeat the operation until all the dough is used up. Now pass the gnocchi one by one over the tines of a fork or with the gnocchi board to give them the classic striped design on the surface (fig. 5).
Cook them a little at a time in boiling water, waiting for them to rise to the surface. As soon as they re-emerge, remove them with a slotted spoon, drain well, and season to taste. I recommend a cheese and walnut cream.
Adding fresh parsley leaves and grated pecorino. And there you have it… the pumpkin gnocchi are ready to be enjoyed!
Bon Appétit from La Cucina di FeFè!
Tips, notes, variations, and suggestions
🟣*Work the ingredients hot, to prevent the starch from dispersing and to make the dough more workable. Baking is preferable to boiling to obtain a well-dried puree. If you choose to boil the pumpkin and potatoes, before mashing them with the potato masher, try to remove any excess water without letting the flesh escape. The best method to achieve this is to invert the potato masher to facilitate the release of liquid present in the vegetable. Repeat the operation 2-3 times, to ensure it is completely removed. This stage is very important for the success of the gnocchi.
