Pumpkin Gnocchi
Soft, pillowy pumpkin gnocchi pan-fried in sage butter until golden and crisp on the outside. Sweet from the potimarron, nutty from the parmesan, with crispy lardons, bitter radicchio and brown butter running through everything!
Ingredients
For the Gnocchi
- 400 gr butternut squash or potimarron, unpeeled weight
- 300 gr floury potatoes Maris Piper or King Edward
- 1 egg
- 175 gr plain flour plus extra for dusting
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp nutmeg freshly grated
- 30 gr Parmesan cheese grated for the dough
For Serving
- 60 gr unsalted butter
- 12 leaves sage
- 100 gr vegetarian lardons or pancetta if not keeping it veggie
- 50 gr radicchio
- parsley
- 40 gr Parmesan cheese for grating
- salt and black pepper
Equipment
- 2 large saucepan for boiling potatoes + cooking gnocchi
Instructions
1. Roast the squash
- Heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Halve the squash, scoop out the seeds, and roast cut-side up on a lined tray for 25 to 30 minutes, until completely tender. Scoop out the flesh (you want about 300g), mash smooth, and cool completely. Roasting, not boiling, keeps the flesh dry.
2. Cook the potatoes
- Meanwhile, boil the potatoes in cold salted water for 20 to 25 minutes, until completely soft. Drain, peel while hot (hold them in a tea towel), and push through a ricer into a large bowl.
3. Combine
- Add the mashed squash to the riced potato (roughly 600g total, about half and half). Add the salt, nutmeg and 30g parmesan and mix gently with a fork. Make a well, add the beaten egg, and mix just until combined.
4. Add the flour (carefully)
- Start with 150g flour, sprinkled over and folded in gently. The dough should just come together, soft and slightly tacky but not sticking to your hands. Add more only a tablespoon at a time if needed. Be stingy.
5. Shape
- On a floured surface, divide into 6 pieces and roll each into a rope about 1.5cm thick. Cut into 2cm pieces. Ridge on the back of a fork if you like. Lay on a floured tea towel in a single layer, not touching.
6. Boil
- Bring a large pan of salted water to a gentle simmer (not a rolling boil). Cook in batches of about 20: they sink, then float after 1 to 2 minutes. Give them 30 seconds more, then lift out with a slotted spoon onto a tea towel.
7. Fry the lardons
- Meanwhile, fry the lardons in a large frying pan over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes, until golden and crisp. Set aside.
8. Sage butter fry
- In the same pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the sage and let it sizzle 30 seconds until crisp and fragrant, keeping the butter golden, not burnt. Fry the gnocchi in batches for 2 to 3 minutes a side, until golden and crisp.
9. Assemble and serve
- Toss the gnocchi with the lardons and torn radicchio (the heat wilts it slightly). Divide between warm plates, scatter over parsley, grate over plenty of parmesan, and finish with black pepper and flaky salt. Eat immediately.
Notes
- The amount of flour you need depends entirely on how dry your pumpkin and potato were. Start with less and add more if needed. Too much flour = dense, rubbery gnocchi.
- You can shape the gnocchi up to 4 hours ahead. Lay them on a floured tray, cover with a tea towel, and refrigerate. Or freeze them in a single layer on a tray, then transfer to a freezer bag once solid. Cook from frozen, just add an extra minute to the cooking time.
- Traditional gnocchi boards: If you've got one, brilliant. If not, a fork works perfectly well. The ridges help the sauce cling, but it's not essential.
- Vegetarian lardons: Most supermarkets sell these now. If you can't find them, use diced smoked tofu or just skip them and add more parmesan.
- Radicchio: This adds a lovely bitter contrast to the sweet pumpkin. If you can't find radicchio, use rocket or baby spinach instead.