Ingredients
Gnocchi Dough
- 300 g / 10 oz fresh pumpkin, steamed or boiled then mashed (or 2/3 cup canned pumpkin puree)
- 1/2 cup ricotta, full fat
- 1 1/4 cup plain flour (all purpose flour), plus more for dusting
- 1/3 cup parmesan cheese, finely grated
- 1 egg
- 1/4 tsp salt
- Black pepper, to taste
Sage Butter Sauce
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 50 g / 3.5 tbsp butter
- 20 fresh sage leaves
To Serve
- Black pepper (and salt if needed)
- Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Prepare the Pumpkin: Line a colander with 4 sheets of paper towel. Spread the fresh mashed pumpkin or canned pumpkin puree onto the paper towel and leave for 5 minutes to remove excess moisture, which ensures the dough is not too sticky.
- Mix the Dough: Measure out 1/2 cup of the drained pumpkin puree. In a bowl, combine pumpkin puree, ricotta, flour, parmesan, egg, salt, and black pepper. Use a wooden spoon to mix until a soft dough forms, just enough to come together without being too sticky.
- Shape the Gnocchi: Dust a clean work surface with flour. Tip the dough out and sprinkle with a little more flour, then pat it into a log shape. Cut the log into 6 pieces. Roll each piece into ropes about 1.7cm / 2/3" thick, then cut into bite-sized square pieces. Optionally, press lightly with a fork to create the gnocchi’s characteristic ridges.
- Cook the Gnocchi: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Scrape the gnocchi onto parchment paper, then gently tip them into the boiling water. Cook until the gnocchi float to the surface, about 1 minute, indicating they are cooked. Drain carefully.
- Make the Sage Butter Sauce: While the gnocchi cooks, melt 1 teaspoon of butter and the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the drained gnocchi and sauté for about 1 1/2 minutes until they begin to brown slightly.
- Finish Cooking: Add the remaining butter to the skillet. Once melted, add the fresh sage leaves. Stir and cook for 2 1/2 minutes until the gnocchi are golden brown, the sage leaves crisp, and the butter starts to brown slightly. Season with salt if your butter is unsalted.
- Serve: Serve the gnocchi immediately, garnished with freshly grated parmesan and black pepper to taste.
Notes
- This recipe works equally well with fresh or canned pumpkin, but it is critical to drain excess moisture from the pumpkin puree to avoid a sticky dough. Excess flour can make the gnocchi dense rather than soft and pillowy.
- Use spreadable soft ricotta for best texture, not the firmer crumbled varieties.
- For the butter, a good quality slightly salted butter enhances flavor and may eliminate the need for added salt in the sauce.
- The dough should be soft but manageable; add minimal flour only if too sticky.
- Cut gnocchi into squares rather than rectangles for the classic shape, with optional fork ridges.
- Scale the pumpkin quantity according to the number of servings, using 1/2 cup per 4 servings as a baseline.
- Store uncooked gnocchi frozen in single layers with parchment paper to prevent sticking, rather than refrigerating cooked gnocchi which may become soggy.
- Cook gnocchi directly from frozen if stored frozen; cooking times remain similar with slight texture variations.
- Nutritional values are based on 4 servings with an approximate serving size of 126 g per person.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Mains
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
