The pumpkin gnocchi from Mantua are a cornerstone of Mantuan cuisine — a dish that celebrates the sweetness and floury texture of the famous Delica or Mantuan variety.
Unlike classic potato gnocchi, these require a little trick: the pumpkin must be as dry as possible.
In Mantuan tradition, pumpkin stars in many dishes (think of the famous tortelli), and these gnocchi are the simplest, most genuine expression of that tradition.
It’s a refined dish where the sweetness of the pumpkin and amaretti marries the piquant note of the mustard and the savory taste of Parmesan.
Below I leave you some other recipes to try and then, as always, right under the photo, let’s discover how to prepare Mantuan Pumpkin Gnocchi 😉
See you soon with the next recipe, Ana Amalia!
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Very inexpensive
- Rest time: 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Cooking time: 50 Minutes
- Portions: 4 Servings
- Cooking methods: Stovetop, Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter and Spring
Ingredients for Mantuan Pumpkin Gnocchi
- 2.2 lb Mantuan pumpkin (or Delica)
- 11 oz starchy potatoes
- 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 oz amaretti biscuits (ground to a very fine powder)
- 2 tbsp Mantuan mustard
- 2 oz grated Parmesan
- 2 pinches salt
- 1 pinch nutmeg
- 6 tbsp butter
- 10 leaves sage
- to taste grated Parmesan (for finishing)
How to prepare Mantuan Pumpkin Gnocchi
Cooking the pumpkin and the potatoes: Cut the pumpkin into thick slices, remove the seeds but leave the skin.
Arrange it on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and bake at 356°F for about 30-40 minutes, until the flesh is tender.
At the same time, boil the whole potatoes with their skins on in salted water.
Preparing the pulp: Once cooked, remove the pumpkin skin and mash the flesh while still hot with a potato ricer or a fork.
Do the same with the peeled potatoes. Let the purees cool completely on a work surface: this step prevents the dough from absorbing too much flour and becoming rubbery.
Mixing the dough: On a work surface, combine the pumpkin pulp, the potatoes, the amaretti ground to powder, the Parmesan, the salt, the nutmeg and the finely chopped mustard.
Start adding the flour little by little kneading quickly with your hands until you get a soft but not sticky dough.
Shaping the Mantuan pumpkin gnocchi: Take a portion of dough and form cords about 3/4 in thick. Cut them into bite-sized pieces with a knife or a bench scraper.
If you prefer, you can roll them on the tines of a fork or on a gnocchi board to create the typical ridges that hold the sauce better.
Cooking and seasoning: In a large skillet, melt the butter together with the sage leaves until it becomes slightly foamy and fragrant.
Drop the gnocchi into plenty of boiling salted water. When they come to the surface (it will take about 2-3 minutes), remove them with a slotted spoon and transfer them directly into the skillet with the butter.
Final tossing: Sauté the gnocchi gently for a few moments, add a generous handful of grated Parmesan and, if necessary, a tablespoon of the cooking water to create a creamy emulsion.
Serve immediately, very hot.
How to store Mantuan Pumpkin Gnocchi
Pumpkin gnocchi should ideally be cooked immediately. If you need to prepare them in advance, you can place them on a well-floured tray and freeze them directly. Once firm, transfer them to a food-safe bag. When you want to use them, drop them still frozen directly into boiling water.
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