Pumpkin Ricotta Gnocchi

Hank Shaw is back, tempting us with pumpkin ricotta gnocchi. It’s crazy good, and actually not as hard as you would think to make. Enjoy! ~Elise

Pumpkin ravioli with brown butter and sage is a classic for a reason: The color, the texture and the flavors of winter squash, fried sage and browned butter are a match made in heaven. But making ravioli requires a fair bit of skill. Gnocchi, however, are easy to make once you get the hang of it.

The key to making any dumplings is to make them as light as possible. We’ve all had leaden lumps of unhappiness before; they’re memorable, and not in a good way.

What keeps these gnocchi fluffy are the ricotta cheese and a light hand with the flour. Gnocchi dough is often sticky, and it’s the ability to resist the urge to keep adding more and more flour that separates a good dumpling from a heavy one.

Keep in mind that some squashes are drier than others, and some pumpkins can be really wet. And the wetter the squash, the more flour you’ll need to hold the dough together — and that makes heavy gnocchi. While any winter squash (except spaghetti squash) should work with this recipe, I prefer to use butternut or kabocha squash.

When it comes time to serve, it is important to let your butter get hot, to keep your gnocchi in one layer in the pan, and to let them cook undisturbed for a minute or more. You want your dumplings to have a crispy side and a soft, pillowy side, and this is how to achieve that.

Could you use olive oil instead of butter? Sure. You can also substitute rosemary or oregano or thyme for the sage. I’ve tried other combinations, and they’re OK, but nothing is quite so wonderful as browned butter, pumpkin and sage.

The only thing that can make this dish even better is a dash of truffle salt. Truffle salt? Yeah, it’s fancy, but a little goes a long way and it will make a refined, date-night dinner even more swanktastic.

Pumpkin Ricotta Gnocchi Recipe

The amount of flour you need to make the dough will vary depending on how moist your pumpkin or winter squash is.

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)

To make your own pumpkin purée, use a strong chef's knife to cut a small sugar pumpkin (or other winter squash) in half. Scoop out the seeds and strings. Lay the pumpkin face down on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes to an hour, until soft. Allow to cool, then scoop out the flesh and mash with a fork. Alternatively, if you are working with leftover fresh pumpkin pieces, roast or boil them until tender, and then cut away and discard the skin.

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