Homemade Pumpkin Gnocchi
Sweet, pillowy and seasonal, this homemade pumpkin gnocchi will wow everyone at the table and bring a taste of autumn to your table.
If you have been following this blog for a little while, you'll know that as a Ligurian, I am very proud of my gnocchi recipe. Gnocchi with fresh pesto is a specialty of my region, and I have been making my nana's recipe for years. As much as the OG gnocchi is great, sometimes it's nice to try something different, like autumnal pasta dishes - and that's where this easy pumpkin gnocchi comes in.
Quite popular, especially throughout Northern Italy, pumpkin gnocchi only calls for two main ingredients, pumpkin and flour. You'll cook the pumpkin (or butternut squash) however you like (some roast it, others like myself boil it), then once it's cooled, you need to mix it with your flour and a pinch of salt. The dough will be much wetter and softer than that of traditional potato gnocchi - but that's just down to pumpkins' texture. You'll need to handle the dough more carefully and have plenty of extra flour to dust it in. However, once done, pumpkin gnocchi can be boiled in minutes and then tossed into some sizzling salted butter, fragrant sage and plenty of grated Parmesan cheese. I can promise you, they are worth the extra work. Plus you can make a bigger batch and freeze the rest, ready for when you need it!
Top Tips to Make the Best Pumpkin Gnocchi
Cook your pumpkin until completely soft: while some people roast them (and you're free to do so), I boil my pumpkin chunks for about 10-12 mins, or until completely soft. Then I let them cool down completely and mash until smooth. This will ensure the perfect smooth texture to your gnocchi.
Do not be tempted to overmix: This gnocchi dough needs very little kneading - literally just enough to shape the dough into a soft ball. Because of the pumpkin's texture, the dough will be much wetter and softer than that of regular potato gnocchi, so the more you knead, the more flour will be absorbed by the pumpkin. Where you want to be extra generous with the flour is the rolling out part - so wait for that.
Dust the gnocchi with much more flour than you think you'll need: Sprinkle the gnocchi dough with plenty of flour as you shape them - first when you shape the dough 'sausages' and then as you roll out the individual gnocchi. This will prevent them from sticking to the worktop or fork as you prepare them.
Boil the gnocchi until they float: Gnocchi cooks very quickly, and you know it's ready as it starts to float to the surface of your boiling water. At that point, it's ready to be drained. Don't be tempted to cook it for much longer: if you overcook it, it'll turn into mush. Nobody wants that.
Ingredients (makes 4 portions)
600g raw pumpkin or butternut squash
300g plain flour + more for dusting
1/4 tsp of salt
Method:
Peel and cut the pumpkin into large 3-4cm chunks. Transfer the pumpkin to a saucepan of boiling water and boil for 10-12 mins, or until completely soft. Drain, add to a large bowl and mash until smooth. Leave to cool for a few minutes.
In another bowl, mix together the flour and salt. Once the pumpkin is cool, add the flour a little at a time and gently knead. You only want to incorporate the flour enough to be able to shape a shaggy dough into a bowl, no more. Cover with cling film and leave in the fridge to rest for at least 30 minutes.
Heavily dust a worktop with flour, then take out your gnocchi dough. Divide the dough into 5 pieces, then, dusting it with flour, gently shape one piece of dough into a sausage, about 2cm thick. Using a knife, cut the sausage into 2-3cm long pieces. Dust each small piece in flour again
Grab a fork and lightly press one small piece of dough at the base of the tines, rolling it gently towards the end of the tines. That is your gnocchi. Repeat with the other small pieces.
Repeat this process with all the other 4 pieces of dough, until they're all shaped into gnocchi.
You can now either freeze your gnocchi, by placing them on freezer-safe trays for 30 mins, then transferring them to a zip-lock back and returning them to the freezer - or you can cook them there and then.
To cook your gnocchi, add to a saucepan of salted boiling water and boil until it floats to the surface, then drain.
Pumpkin gnocchi is best enjoyed toassed in melted butter, sage leaves and plenty of Parmesan cheese.
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