Pumpkin Gnocchi
I want you to take a minute to closely examine the photo above…I’ll wait…Now, what’s going through your mind?
I ask because it is a fact that this vegetable is commonly associated with Halloween and carving faces/various designs out of it, and that’s all well and fun, but what you may not realize is that this gourd has culinary uses, and I’m not just talking about pie.
The mellow, sweet, soft flesh of pumpkin gives it a wide range of uses in the kitchen, from soups to risotto to puree, but it would take a real creative mind to turn it into…pumpocchi…ok, it’s not the best name in the world, what I mean is gnocchi made out of pumpkin.
I have never attempted to make pumpkin gnocchi before, I don’t think I have worked with pumpkin that much other than the canned puree, but sometimes you have to take a chance and hope for delicious results. I will not only turn this pumpkin into gnocchi but also pair it with some ingredients that I think will pair nicely with the pumpkin’s natural sweetness, such as pancetta, cheese, broccolini, and sage.
Pumpocchi (Pumpkin Gnocchi)
Serves 4, plus extra pumpkin puree
(Fair warning, since pumpkin does not have any starch like potatoes, this won’t be the same light, soft gnocchi that you are likely familiar with. However, I can promise that the flavor will make up for that)
For the Gnocchi:
One 2 1/2-3 pound baking pumpkin*
Olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 eggs
4 cups of flour, divided
For the Dish:
Salt
6 ounces of thick-cut pancetta, cut into cubes
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 bunches of broccolini or broccoli rabe, trimmed
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon of chili flakes (optional)
2 tablespoons of minced fresh sage leaves
1 cup of heavy cream
1/2 cup of grated parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
Freshly ground black pepper
*When looking for a pumpkin to cook with, look for one that is a bit heavy for its size and free of any large blemishes or scars. Also, flip it over and give the root end a knock; it should sound hollow on the inside, like drums.
This dish also works great with butternut squash, by the way.
Step 1: Prepare and roast the pumpkin
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. If your pumpkin happens to have a long stem, then remove that by grabbing it and giving it a firm twist, if not then don’t worry about that.
Starting from the root end, use a serrated knife, an electric carving knife would be even better, to split the pumpkin in half from pole to pole, then use a stiff spoon or an ice cream scoop to scrape and scoop out the seeds and pulp.
(By the way, you can separate the seeds from the guts in a bowl of cold water, pat them dry, toss them on a baking sheet with some olive oil and salt, and then roast them for 10-15 minutes, it makes a tasty snack.)
Drizzle the flesh with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, then lay cut-side down onto the prepared baking sheet. Roast the pumpkin for 30-40 minutes, or until the skin is browned in spots and the flesh is very soft.
Let the pumpkin cool until it’s easy to handle, then separate the flesh from the skin, it should be able to easily peel away. Discard the skins, then dump the flesh into a food processor, and blend until very smooth.
(Too lazy or short on time to roast a pumpkin? Then I will allow you to use canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling! I won’t tell.)
Step 2: Make the Gnocchi
Place two cups of the pumpkin puree into a bowl, then add the eggs and 2 cups of the flour. Season with salt and pepper, then stir with a wooden spoon to combine, then add up to the remaining 2 cups of flour, adding about 1/2 cup at a time. There should be enough flour so that it forms a smooth, tacky dough that starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl.
Dump the dough onto a floured surface, then cut it into 4 pieces. Roll each piece into a 1 1/2-inch thick log, then use a pastry cutter or a knife to cut the log into 1/2-inch pieces and roll those pieces in flour
(Any leftover pumpkin puree is yours to keep. You could use it for a pie, to make more gnocchi, could stir it into your oatmeal, or do what I did and make delicious pumpkin pancakes the next morning.)
Step 3: Cook the pancetta and gnocchi
Bring a medium pot of lightly salted water to a simmer and cook the pancetta in the oil on a medium-low heat until the pancetta is crisp and brown. Remove the pancetta with a slotted spoon, but reserve the drippings.
Lower the pumpkin gnocchi into the water then cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the gnocchi have floated to the top of the water. Use a slotted spoon to remove the gnocchi, then add that to the pan with the pancetta drippings and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side, or until the gnocchi is golden brown all around.
Step 4: Finish the dish
While the gnocchi is searing, lower the broccolini into the boiling water that the gnocchi was cooked in, then cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the broccolini is bright green and slightly tender.
Drain, then once the gnocchi is browned, add the broccolini to the pan along with the garlic, chili flakes (if using) and sage. Sautee for another minute, or until the garlic is fragrant and the broccolini is starting to brown.
Add the heavy cream to the pan, bring that to a simmer, then cook for another 1-2 minutes, or until the cream has reduced by half and starts to thicken. Sprinkle in the parmesan cheese, then stir until a creamy sauce has formed. Season with pepper to taste, then divide everything among two bowls, top with the reserved pancetta and a grating of parmesan.
I’ll bet you never thought that the thing you kept carving on Halloween could look like this.
The gnocchi itself has a slightly chewy texture that mild sweetness from the pumpkin which gets backed up by the salty pancetta, a light floral note from the sage, and that broccolini to give the dish some color and a bit of extra flavor, plus a nice creamy sauce to tie everything together.
Happy Halloween!
