Pumpkin Gnocchi with Butter Sage Sauce

Pumpkin gnocchi with butter sage sauce is comfort food to the max. The gnocchi are not difficult to make, and will be a family favorite in no time.

Gnocchi are one of my favorite things to eat. Good butter is a godsend, and sage is an herb I really love.

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Put them all together, and the end result is gastronomic heaven. These pumpkin gnocchi are served with an incredibly simple butter sage sauce. Although I’m not a pumpkin fiend, I do like and use it. However, what makes me crazy is the three month “pumpkin overload” here in the US. It suddenly disappears from the face of the planet along with the last bite of pumpkin pie on Christmas Day, just as quickly as it appeared.

Why not use pumpkin a little less avidly during these autumn months, and moreso during January and February? Heck, with organic canned (or even frozen pumpkin), there’s nothing wrong with using it in July! Don’t you agree?

My darling goddaughter (she’s 19 months old now) came to visit last week and my mother cooked up some frozen pumpkin gnocchi for her, but added a plain tomato sauce.

This is a photo of the first time she had gnocchi last August–it was love at first bite! (Does she look like a little Gerber baby, or what?!)

Back to last week–if you’d seen just how much gnocchi she ate that day, you simply would not believe a baby could eat that much! To top this, about 20 minutes later, she spotted more gnocchi in a bowl on the counter and reached for them. I was holding her and wanted to see what she’d do if she could reach them, so I let her get close enough. Would you believe she started eating them again (the first photo below)!

If this is any indication of how good they are, then don’t you think you should make them?

With my parents back for the winter, I’ve got tons of help in the kitchen from my mother, and my full-time gardener and barista is back (my dad)! Here’s the recipe you’ll want to make over and over again.

Browned butter mashed sweet potatoes with sage is another lovely recipe for this time of year.

You may also enjoy this authentic Gnocchi alla Sorrentina!

NB: as with a few other recipes, weighing the ingredients for pumpkin gnocchi is crucial to the end result turning out as it should. I have not listed the ingredients in cups, too, but use them knowing the risk. I highly recommend using a scale in all baking, and in recipes like this one.

If you like a slightly chewy and harder gnocchi, try my aunt’s recipe using only flour and boiling water.

Pumpkin Gnocchi with Butter Sage Sauce

adapted from a Giallo Zafferano recipe
Note: using a scale is highly recommended for this recipe

Ingredients

• 15 oz can pumpkin or cooked pumpkin, drained (put in a sieve over a bowl)
• 1 lb (about 3 medium potatoes, Russet or any floury potato) cooked in their skin in salted water, peeled then mashed (used hot)
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt
• dash of grated nutmeg
• 6 oz (1 1/4 c) white flour (best choice is 00 Italian flour)
• 2 oz (1/2 c) potato starch
• 1.5 oz (about 1/2 c) grated Pecorino (or Parmigiano) cheese

Sauce recipe below (feel free to use a tomato sauce instead, if you prefer).

Make the Dough

Place the mashed potatoes (while still hot/warm) into a large bowl and spread them out to release the steam. Next, add the pumpkin, egg, salt and nutmeg and mix well.

Add the flour, potato starch and grated cheese and continue to mix.

When it comes together, place on a flour dusted board or countertop and knead gently to form a smooth dough.

Put the dough onto a well-floured countertop or work area and knead gently until the dough has a uniform texture. Cut off a piece of dough and leave the rest on the counter with the bowl covering it (upside-down).

Roll and Shape the Pumpkin Gnocchi

Roll the piece of dough into a rope and cut off pieces (about 1/2″ to 3/4″ long) with a small, sharp knife.

Shape the pieces into gnocchi on a fork or a gnocchi board using gentle pressure, and easing up as you roll downwards. Use enough flour so that they don’t stick, then place on a semolina covered tray or countertop.

CLICK HERE TO SEE A QUICK VIDEO CLIP OF HOW TO ROLL GNOCCHI

(Make the butter-sage sauce if cooking immediately.)

If not cooking the potato pumpkin gnocchi immediately,  you can freeze them on the tray, then place into a freezer bag when frozen, and store in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.

Make the Butter Sage Sauce

• good quality butter
• fresh or dried sage

Melt the butter (as much as you need for the amount of gnocchi you are cooking) with the sage in a sauté pan.

Cook and Serve the Pumpkin Gnocchi

Drop into the salted, boiling water and remove with a slotted spoon as soon as they float to the top or within 30 seconds, or so. Gently place the potato pumpkin gnocchi into a the pan with the butter sage sauce, and toss gently.

Serve immediately.

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Pumpkin Gnocchi with Butter Sage Sauce

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 7 minutes

Total Time: 27 minutes

A pumpkin based gnocchi which tastes fabulous with many sauces, but goes especially well with butter and sage.

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Ingredients

• 15 oz can pumpkin or cooked pumpkin, drained (put in a sieve over a bowl)
• 1 lb (about 3 medium potatoes, Russet or any floury potato) cooked in their skin in salted water, peeled then mashed (used hot)
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt
• dash of grated nutmeg
• 6 oz (1 1/4 c) white flour (best choice is 00 Italian flour)
• 2 oz (1/2 c) potato starch
• 1.5 oz (about 1/2 c) grated Pecorino (or Parmigiano) cheese

Butter Sage Sauce

• good quality butter
• fresh or dried sage

Instructions

1. Place the mashed potatoes (while still hot/warm) into a large bowl and spread them out to release the steam. Next, add the pumpkin, egg, salt and nutmeg and mix well.
2. Add the flour, potato starch and grated cheese and continue to mix.
3. When it comes together, place on a flour dusted board or countertop and knead gently to form a smooth dough.
4. Put the dough onto a well-floured countertop or work area and knead gently until the dough has a uniform texture. Cut off a piece of dough and leave the rest on the counter with the bowl covering it (upside-down).
5. Roll the piece of dough into a rope and cut off pieces (about 1/2" to 3/4" long) with a small, sharp knife.
6. Shape the pieces into gnocchi on a fork or a gnocchi board using gentle pressure, and easing up as you roll downwards. Use enough flour so that they don't stick, then place on a semolina covered tray or countertop.

(Make the butter-sage sauce if cooking immediately.)

If not cooking the potato pumpkin gnocchi immediately,  you can freeze them on the tray, then place into a freezer bag when frozen, and store in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.

Butter Sage Sauce

Melt the butter (as much as you need for the amount of gnocchi you are cooking) with the sage in a sauté pan.

To cook the gnocchi: drop into the salted, boiling water and remove with a slotted spoon as soon as they float to the top or within 30 seconds, or so. Gently place the potato pumpkin gnocchi into a the pan with the butter sage sauce, and toss gently.

Serve immediately.

Notes

Serve with another sauce if you prefer.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1 bowl
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 359Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 77mgSodium: 650mgCarbohydrates: 53gFiber: 4gSugar: 4gProtein: 8g

Nutrition information is only estimated.

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