These gnocchi don’t require egg, gluten, or any form of gum replacement to hold them together—Pumpkin naturally contains pectin, which serves as a binder in the recipe.
You can dress them up in a variety of ways, but in my opinion, it doesn’t get any better than the classic topping of brown butter and crispy, fried sage leaves. If you’re avoiding dairy, feel free to use a butter substitute. But please, don’t leave out the nutmeg! It pairs beautifully with the sweetness of the pumpkin and really makes the dish pop.
Also, you may be tempted to use a different type of squash, but it’s best to stick to one that is lower in water content, like kabocha.
Pumpkin Gnocchi with Sage Butter
Serves 2-4
Ingredients:
600 grams roasted pumpkin
400 grams all-purpose gluten free flour blend (with or without xanthan gum)
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
coarse salt
1/4 cup fresh sage leaves
8 tablespoons butter
Pecorino or other hard cheese for serving
Method:
Roast the pumpkin at 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200C) until very soft. Either use a potato ricer or a food processor to puree it smooth.
While still warm, place the 600 grams of puree on a pastry board or clean counter top. Sift about half of the flour and the nutmeg over the top.
Carefully incorporate the flour into the pumpkin until a dough is formed. If it’s too sticky to work with, gradually add the rest of the flour in little by little. You should still have some remaining to dust your work surface.
Dust your work surface with flour. Place the dough ball in the center and cut it into quarters with a pastry scraper.
Roll each quarter into ropes about an inch wide. Continue to dust the work surface as needed to prevent sticking.
Line the ropes up, and using the pastry scraper, cut 1” cubes of dough.
If using a gnocchi board, lightly press the dough cubes into the board to create ridges. Then roll them off of the board.
Fill a medium-sized pot with water and place it over the stove. Add 1 tablespoon of course salt and bring to a boil
Once the water is boiling, add the gnocchi. Cook for approximately 2 minutes, then drain the pasta.
In a skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and add the sage leaves.
Once the butter is brown and the sage leaves are crisp, turn off the heat and toss the gnocchi in the sauce.
Serve with pecorino (my preference) or freshly grated Parmesan.
