Craving something comforting? This big ol’ bowl of cozy Gnocchi di Zucca will do just the trick. This simplistic and relatively inexpensive recipe is a great dish to prepare for a luxurious night in. 

I have to admit, this was my first attempt at making Gnocchi. Up until today, it was not a part of my pasta repertoire. I had made it once before in an instructed cooking class, but never alone. The thought of slicing and peeling a pumpkin is not the most appealing task- especially with a dull knife! But, alas, we forge on. For me, cooking is a meditation, a way to slow down and a distraction from life’s particular challenges. So, let’s get to it. I want to highlight on a few things I noticed while preparing the gnocchi and some tips that I hope will help.

•  I made this recipe with egg, and it was very messy. The more moisture you add to the dough, the more flour you need to add and it became a constant battle of stickiness. I think gnocchi made without an egg would be much less sticky,  lighter and a lot less messy. 

• It is best to work with the potatoes while still warm as they make it easier to bind the dough.

•  Gnocchi should ideally be eaten as soon as they’re cooked. If need be, they can also be frozen on a lightly floured cookie sheet. Once frozen, keep them in a freezer bag and take out whenever you’d like. Perfect for a quick, wholesome meal.

Ingredients (Gnocchi):

•  2 Russet or red skinned potatoes

•  1 lb. Squash of your choice

•  1 ½ C.  “00” Flour

•  1 pinch Salt

•  1 Egg, lightly beaten

•  1 tsp. Nutmeg

Ingredients (brown butter sage sauce):

•  ½ stick butter

•  1 handful Fresh sage leaves

•  Sprinkle of Parmesan for topping

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cut the pumpkin in half, remove all the seeds and peel it. Then cut the pumpkin into chunks and roast on baking paper in a preheated oven for about 30 minutes until very soft.

2. Remove the pumpkin from the baking tray and mash it a bit with a fork until it is as smooth as possible.

3.  In a large pot with just enough water to cover them, boil potatoes cut in half with their skins on for about 20-30 minutes or until fork tender. Over-boiling will cause potatoes to become mushy and too wet.

4.  Strain and peel the boiled potatoes, removing any brown spots that might be below the skin. Peel them quickly as the cooler they get, the less fluffy they become. Press the potatoes through a potato ricer into a bowl. If you don’t have a ricer you can mash the potatoes until smooth. 

5. Allow the potatoes to cool a little if they are still hot. Then put them in a bowl with the pumpkin puree, flour, salt, nutmeg, and egg. 

6. Mix everything together using a wooden spoon and then your hands. Once the mixture starts to resemble a dough, turn it out onto a lightly floured wooden board.

7.  Knead the dough with your hands, adding a little more flour as needed. Work carefully and quickly; the more you handle the dough, the harder it will become. You need the same lightness you would use for pastry. Continue until the dough loses most of its stickiness and becomes a more solid mound.

8. Cut a quarter of the dough off and cover the rest with a tea towel to prevent it drying out too quickly. Re-flour your work surface.

9. Divide the quarter into two and roll each piece out into a rope or snake about as thick as your thumb and cut it into pieces. 

10.  Gently roll each gnocco against the floured front tines of a fork or down a gnocchi board to make ridges. Then arrange in a single layer on a prepared floured baking tray. Repeat with the rest of the dough.

11.  Allow the gnocchi to rest for 20-30 minutes before cooking. Add the gnocchi to the brown butter sage sauce.

12.  Put a pan of water on to boil for the gnocchi. When it starts to boil, add salt and bring to a boil again. 

13.  Melt the butter in a frying pan or skillet. Add the sage leaves and allow them to get a little crispy.

14.  Cook the gnocchi in the boiling salted water.  As soon as the gnocchi rise to the surface, remove them with a slotted spoon and transfer to the butter and sage. 

15. Mix the gnocchi and sauce together and serve immediately with grated Parmesan.