Serve Pumpkin Ricotta Gnocchi in a Simple Brown Butter and Sage Sauce (2024)

• 1 cup puréed cooked pumpkin orwinter squash(canned or homemade)

• 1 cup ricotta (use whole milk for best results)

• 1/4 cup Parmesanor pecorino cheese

• 2 large eggs

• 2 teaspoons kosher salt

• 3 to 4 cups cake flour, Italian "00" flour, or all-purpose flour

  See Also

  Easy Pumpkin Gnocchi with Sage Butter Sauce

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter

• 2 to 3 teaspoons minced fresh sage

• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• Truffle salt, to taste, optional

1. Make the 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.

   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.

   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.

   

   

2. 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.

3. 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.

   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.

   

   

4. 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.

   This does two things: It makes the dumpling a little thinner and lighter, and it creates depressions and ridges that sauce can hold onto.

   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.

   

5. 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.

   Boil these gnocchi until they float, then remove them with a slotted spoon or spider skimmer.

   Lay the cooked gnocchi on a baking sheet and toss with a little olive oil so they don't stick together.

   

6. 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.

7. Sauté the 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.

   Sprinkle half the sage over the pan. Cook for another minute, then turn out onto plates. Repeat with the remaining gnocchi.

8. Keep the gnocchi 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.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.