"Gnocchi" their socks off.
We hear you, fresh gnocchi can seem daunting, but we are here to help. With just a few pantry staples and your hands, you can create a comforting dish perfect for date night or a party (or just for yourself; we won't judge!). This autumnal riff on an Italian classic adds pumpkin puree to the dough, and pairs it with a sage brown butter sauce that is as fancy as it is tasty.
How to store gnocchi
Fresh gnocchi is superior to it’s dried or packaged version, and the time spent making it is worth your while. Finding that time, however, can be a little tricky: this is why we create our gnocchi in batches, enjoy a bit fresh that night, then freeze the rest flat on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. That way, they freeze individually and can be portioned out however you like.
Toasting milk solids
Milk solids are found in butter, and lend flavor to the churned cream. Melting and frying butter in a sauce pan toasts these milk solids, lending them a deeper, nutty-butterscotch flavor without adding any sugar or other flavoring. This flavor is wonderful, and makes it possible to have a sauce of only sage, butter, and cheese. The toasting of milk solids results in an ingredient called “brown butter”, and you can make it at home with any butter you have on hand. It’s an easy but impressive way to add elegance and depth to your home cooking.
How to make it
Making the dough
Heat the oven to 400°F and bake the potato in the oven until it is fork-tender (about 60 minutes). Once the potato is cool enough to handle, peel and mash it (or pass it through a ricer).
On a clean work surface, make a nest with the flour. Add the pumpkin, egg, prepared potato, and salt to the center of the nest and slowly incorporate the flour into the other ingredients. Continue to mix and knead until all ingredients are incorporated and a soft dough has formed. You will get your hands dirty making this: lean into it! Your hands will tell you if the dough is too dry or wet, and when the dough is fully kneaded. Your hands are tools: don’t be afraid to use them.
Split the dough into 4 portions. Take one of the portions, form it into a rope, and cut it into 3/4 inch pieces. Repeat this step with the rest of the dough.
Pass each piece over a floured gnocchi board or the back of a fork to create ridges. Set them aside on a floured baking sheet. If this already seems like too much work, make it a family or friends activity: everybody grab a fork, and start rolling gnocchi (Then eat it altogether when you are done)! If you are not eating them tonight, freeze the gnocchi after this step.
Add heavily salted water to a large pot and bring to a boil. Add the gnocchi in small batches and cook them until they float (about 2 minutes). Reserve some of the cooking water and set the gnocchi aside as you prepare the sauce.
Making the sauce
Heat butter in a pan over medium heat.
When the butter begins to foam, add the garlic and the sage.
Continue stirring until the butter becomes golden and brown specks begin to form (about 5 minutes). The brown specs are the clue that you are now cooking with browned butter.
Remove the pan from heat and remove the garlic. Add the gnocchi and pepper to the pan and slowly add parmesan cheese and cooking water until the sauce reaches the desired consistency.
And there you have it; you have just made pumpkin gnocchi with a brown butter sage sauce. Excellent job!
Pumpkin Gnocchi with Sage Brown Butter
For the Gnocchi
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 large russet potato
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 tsp salt
For the Sage Brown Butter
- 1 stick salted butter
- 1/2 cup fresh sage
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1/2 cup parmesean cheese, grated
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- Knife
- Large pot
- Pan
- Baking sheet
- Gnocchi board (optional)
- Potato ricer (optional)
For the Gnocchi
- Heat the oven to 400°F and bake the potato in the oven until it is fork-tender (about 60 minutes). Once the potato is cool enough to handle, peel and mash it (or pass it through a ricer).
- On a clean work surface, make a nest with the flour. Add the pumpkin, egg, prepared potato, and salt to the center of the nest and slowly incorporate the flour into the other ingredients. Continue to mix and knead until all ingredients are incorporated and a soft dough has formed.
- Split the dough into 4 portions. Take one of the portions, form it into a rope, and cut it into 3/4 inch pieces. Repeat this step with the rest of the dough.
- Pass each piece over a floured gnocchi board or the back of a fork to create ridges. Set them aside on a floured baking sheet.
- Add heavily salted water to a large pot and bring to a boil. Add the gnocchi in small batches and cook them until they float (about 2 minutes). Reserve some of the cooking water and set the gnocchi aside as you prepare the sauce.
For the Sage Brown Butter
- Heat butter in a pan over medium heat.
- When the butter begins to foam, add the garlic and the sage.
- Continue stirring until the butter becomes golden and brown specks begin to form (about 5 minutes).
- Remove the pan from heat and remove the garlic. Add the gnocchi and pepper to the pan and slowly add parmesan cheese and cooking water until the sauce reaches the desired consistency.