The Pumpkin Gnocchi with Pine Nut Sauce is a must-make during this season when pumpkins are everywhere. For the gnocchi, it’s best to choose a type with dense and less watery flesh like the Mantovana or Violina variety to avoid using too much flour. I always prefer adding an egg, even in potato gnocchi. Apart from that, I don’t use potatoes and I add parmesan, pepper, salt, and lots of nutmeg, which pairs wonderfully with pumpkin. Try not to overwork the dough and avoid adding too much flour, otherwise you’ll end up with hard gnocchi after cooking.
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Cheap
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 3 People
- Cooking methods: Stove, Microwave
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
- Energy 799.46 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 97.83 (g) of which sugars 7.88 (g)
- Proteins 26.67 (g)
- Fat 38.08 (g) of which saturated 8.36 (g)of which unsaturated 20.76 (g)
- Fibers 13.87 (g)
- Sodium 892.94 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 313 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
- 14.11 oz pumpkin (clean weight)
- 2 cups flour
- 1 egg (medium)
- Half teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 grind pepper
- 0.11 oz fine salt
- 1.41 oz grated Parmesan cheese
- 1.76 oz remilled durum wheat semolina flour (to use on the work surface)
- 3.17 oz pine nuts (toasted in a small pan)
- 1 clove garlic
- 1.41 oz breadcrumbs
- 1/3 cup milk
- 0.71 oz grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 sprigs marjoram
- 1.35 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 0.07 oz fine salt
Tools
- Kitchen Scale
- Bowl
- Plastic Wrap
- Work Surface
- Metal Scraper
- Pan
Steps
Remove the pumpkin skin and seeds. Cut it into small pieces, place them in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Cook in the microwave for 5-6 minutes; if it appears moist, let it drain and then pass it in a pan, crushing with a fork (do not use a blender). The final weight of the pulp is 250 grams.
In a large bowl, place the warm pumpkin, flour, egg, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Knead all the ingredients first in the bowl, then finish on a work surface dusted with semolina, being careful not to knead too much or they will require too much flour.
Take a piece of dough and form a roll, then cut into small pieces. I didn’t bother with the gnocchi board, and they turned out just fine. Place them on a surface sprinkled with semolina. Now prepare the ingredients for the pine nut sauce.
In a food processor or blender, place garlic (core removed), salt, pine nuts, marjoram leaves, breadcrumbs soaked in milk, and grated Parmesan cheese. Mix and gradually add extra virgin olive oil until you see a cream. Drop the gnocchi in salted boiling water in two batches using a low and wide pan so they can all float at the same time. Once they float, cook for an additional 3 minutes, keeping them warm. Dress with the Pine Nut Sauce thinned with half a ladle of gnocchi cooking water.
Tips
For making gnocchi, the pumpkin should have firm and low-moisture flesh, so after cooking it by steam, oven, or microwave, it’s best to pass it in a pan to dry.
Do not puree with a blender, it’s better to mash it with a fork.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can Pumpkin Gnocchi be frozen?
I don’t freeze them raw; if any are left over, I blanch them and once cooled, I place them on a tray and freeze them. It’s important not to thaw them, but to put them back in boiling water for a few seconds, then drain and dress.
