Italian Pumpkin Gnocchi Dumplings made with pumpkin or winter squash, ricotta cheese, parmesan, and flour.
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Hank Shaw is back and tempting us with Pumpkin Ricotta Gnocchi. It’s crazy good and actually not as hard as you would think. Enjoy! ~ Elise
However, gnocchi are easy to make once you get the hang of it.
The key to making dumplings is to make them as light as possible. We’ve all had nuggets of bad luck; They’re memorable, and not in a good way.
What keeps these gnocchi fluffy is the ricotta cheese and a light hand with the flour. Gnocchi dough is often sticky, and it’s the ability to resist the urge to add more and more flour that separates a good dumpling from a heavy one.
Keep in mind that some squashes are drier than others and some squashes can be very wet. And the wetter the squash, the more flour you’ll need to hold the dough together—and that makes for heavy gnocchi. While any winter squash (except spaghetti squash) should work with this recipe, I prefer to use butternut or kabocha squash.
When it’s time to serve, it’s important to get your butter hot, keep your gnocchi in one layer in the pan, and let them cook undisturbed for a minute or more. You want your dumplings to have a crunchy side and a soft, pillowy side, and this is how you achieve that.
The only thing that can make this dish even better is a pinch of truffle salt. truffle salt? Yes, it’s chic, but a little goes a long way and makes a sophisticated date night dinner even swankier.
How to make your own pumpkin puree
To make your own pumpkin puree, use a strong chef’s knife to cut a small sugar squash (or other winter squash) in half. Scoop out the seeds and threads. Place the squash face down on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes to an hour until tender. Allow to cool, then scoop out the flesh and mash with a fork. Alternatively, if you’re working with leftover fresh squash pieces, you can roast or boil them until tender, then slice off and discard the skin.
Pumpkin ricotta gnocchi
The amount of flour you need for the batter will depend on how moist your squash or winter squash is.
ingredients
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1 cup mashed cooked pumpkin or winter squash (canned or homemade)*
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1 cup ricotta (use whole milk for best results)
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2 large eggs
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2 teaspoons kosher salt
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1/4 cup parmesan or pecorino cheese
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3-4 cups cake flour, Italian “oo” flour, or all-purpose flour
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2-3 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
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1/4 cup unsalted butter
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Black pepper to taste
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truffle salt to taste (optional)
method
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Make the Pumpkin Ricotta Gnocchi Dough:
In a large bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, ricotta, parmesan, eggs, and salt. Add 2 cups of flour and mix well with your hands. The dough should be very sticky, impossible to work with.
Add another 1/2 cup of flour and mix this in – the dough should still be quite sticky but pliable enough to shape into a large log.
If it doesn’t, keep adding a little bit of flour until you get a soft dough that’s easy to roll. It should never require more than 4 cups of flour. Cover the dough with a damp cloth.
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Bring a pot of salted water to a boil:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then add enough salt to make the water taste salty. Let this simmer while you prepare the gnocchi.
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Roll out the dough and cut the gnocchi:
For the gnocchi, spread some flour on a large work surface and have more flour ready. Cut the dough roll into four equal pieces.
Take a piece and cut it in half. Roll the piece of dough into a snake about 1/2 inch thick, then cut into pieces about the width of a fork.
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Using the back of a fork, make indentations in the gnocchi:
Dust the gnocchi with some flour, then use your finger to push the dumpling onto the tines of a fork. Let the gnocchi fall back onto the work surface.
This does two things: it makes the dumpling a little thinner and lighter, and it creates indentations and ridges that the sauce can cling to.
If all this is too much trouble for you, skip it. The gnocchi don’t turn out quite as good, but they still taste good.
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Cooking gnocchi:
with a metal spatula, soft Pick up a few gnocchi at a time and drop them in the water. Increase the heat to a boil.
Cook these gnocchi until they float, then remove with a slotted or slotted spoon.
Place the cooked gnocchi on a baking sheet and toss with a little olive oil to keep them from sticking together.
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Repeat:
Now go back to the next large piece of dough and repeat the process. It’s important to cook gnocchi in small batches so they don’t stick together.
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Sauté gnocchi in butter:
When all the gnocchi are done, heat the butter over medium-high heat until it stops foaming. Add enough gnocchi to the pan to cover them in one layer. Don’t let them stack on top of each other. Fry undisturbed for 90 seconds.
Sprinkle half of the sage over the pan. Cook for a further minute, then invert onto plates. Repeat with the remaining gnocchi.
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Keep warm in the oven:
If you must do this in multiple batches, keep the finished gnocchi on a baking sheet in the oven set to Warm. Serve as soon as they are done, dusted with black pepper and the truffle salt, if any.
Links:
Baked gnocchi with two cheeses – by Bell’Alimento
Gnocchi with radicchio, leek and ricotta salata – by Herbivoracious
Lemon Ricotta Gnocchi – by Steamy Kitchen
