Pumpkin Ricotta Gnocchi

Italian pumpkin dumpling dumplings created with pumpkin or winter squash, cheese cheese, Parmesan and flour.

Pumpkin cappelletti with butter and sage could be a classic for a reason. The color, the feel and therefore the flavors of winter squash, cooked sage and bronzed butter area unit a match created in heaven! however creating cappelletti needs a good little bit of talent.

Pumpkin Ricotta Gnocchi

The key to creating any dumplings is to create them as lightweight as attainable. We’ve all had leaden lumps of unhappiness before; they’re unforgettable, and not in an exceedingly great way.

Keep in mind that some squashes area unit drier than others, and a few pumpkins will be extremely wet. and therefore the wetter the squash, the additional flour you’ll got to hold the dough along — which makes serious dumpling. whereas any winter squash (except pasta squash) ought to work with this direction, I opt to use butternut or kabocha squash.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup of puréed cooked pumpkin or winter squash (canned or homemade)
• 1 cup ricotta (use whole milk for best results)
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/4 cup parmesan or pecorino cheese
• 3-4 cups cake flour, Italian "oo" flour, or all-purpose flour
• 2-3 teaspoons minced fresh sage
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• Black pepper to taste
• Truffle salt to taste (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Make the pumpkin ricotta gnocchi dough: Mix the pumpkin puree, ricotta, parmesan, eggs and salt together in a large bowl. Add 2 cups of the flour and mix well with your hands. The dough should be very sticky, impossible to work.
2. Add another half cup of flour and mix that in — you want the dough to still be pretty sticky, but pliable enough to shape into a large log.
3. If it's not, keep adding a little flour at a time until you can get a soft dough that will be rollable. It should never require more than 4 cups of flour. Cover the dough with a damp towel.
4. Bring a pot of salty water to a boil: Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then add enough salt to it so that the water tastes salty. Let this simmer while you make the gnocchi.
5. Roll out the dough and cut the gnocchi: To make the gnocchi, spread some flour on a large work surface and have more flour ready. Cut the dough log into four equal pieces.
6. Take one piece and cut it in half. Roll the piece of dough into a snake about 1/2 inch thick, then cut it into pieces about the width of a fork.
7. Use the back of a fork to create indentations in the gnocchi: Dust the gnocchi with a little flour, then use one finger to push the dumpling up onto the tines of a fork. Let the gnocchi drop back to the work surface.
8. This does two things: It makes the dumpling a little thinner and lighter, and it creates depressions and ridges that sauce can hold onto.
9. If all this is too much bother for you, skip it. The gnocchi will not be quite as good, but they'll still taste fine.
10. Boil the gnocchi: Using a metal spatula, gently pick up a few gnocchi at a time and drop them into the water. Increase the heat to a rolling boil.
11. Boil these gnocchi until they float, then remove them with a slotted spoon or spider skimmer.
12. Lay the cooked gnocchi on a baking sheet and toss with a little olive oil so they don't stick together.
13. Repeat! Now go back to the next big chunk of dough and repeat the process. it is important to boil gnocchi in small batches so they don't stick to each other.
14. Sauté gnocchi in butter: When all the gnocchi are made, heat the butter over medium-high heat until it stops frothing. Add enough gnocchi to the pan to cover it in one layer. Do not let them stack up on each other. Let them fry undisturbed for 90 seconds.
15. Sprinkle half the sage over the pan. Cook for another minute, then turn out onto plates. Repeat with the remaining gnocchi.
16. Keep warm in oven: If you have to do this in several batches, keep the finished gnocchi on baking sheet in the oven set on Warm. Serve as soon as they're all done, dusted with black pepper and the truffle salt, if you have it.

Share this post