As the fall starts to turn into winter, I'm trying to consume all things pumpkin. I've made gnocchi once before (see my parsnip gnocchi recipe), and it wasn't very hard, so I decided to try this recipe that I found on Tastespotting. The recipe called for real pumpkin, but I was feeling lazy and went the canned puree route. The whole wheat flour makes this a bit more dense than regular gnocchi, but it was tasty all the same. I had some asparagus leftover from another recipe, and set Dave to work figuring out how to cook it. He baked it with some olive oil and cheese - it was delicious!! Brownie points for that and the Pumple Drumkin beer he picked out (see photo above) - it's from Cisco Brewers in Nantucket, and it was yummy! I generally don't like beer, but I like to try nicer beers (beyond those I've tried at house parties...) and I can officially say I no longer hate beer. It's a step in the right direction...yes?
1 can pumpkin puree
2 (ish) cups of unbleached white whole wheat flour
1 egg
salt and pepper to taste
4 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
A few sprigs of thyme
(optional) freshly grated parmesan
Turn pureed pumpkin into a large bowl. Add egg and salt and pepper before folding in the flour, 1/2 cup at a time. When you have added enough flour to produce a dough like consistency and forms a ball, turn out the ball onto a floured surface and knead a few times, adding a bit of flour if needed, until the dough no longer sticks to your hands. Take a small section of the dough and roll out into a thin rope. Cut into 1″ sections and make indents on one side with a wet fork. Repeat with remaining dough. This makes a lot of gnocchi, about 4 servings, depending on your appetite. To save some for later, place half of the finished gnocchi on a floured baking sheet and freeze for up to two hours before placing them together in a freezer bag.
Place the other half of the gnocchi a dozen at a time in boiling water. Cook until they all float to the top. Meanwhile, bring a saucepan with butter, olive oil, salt, pepper, and thyme to medium heat until the butter melts and you’ve coaxed the aroma out of the herbs. Toss gnocchi in the butter/oil mixture, and enjoy.
(**note: I put half of the gnocchi in the freezer, and therefore used half of the recipe for the sauce: 2 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp olive oil, with dried thyme)
Original recipe here