Pumpkin Gnocchi with Mushrooms

For me, fall means all things pumpkin, apple, and pear (as if that weren't obvious given my most recent blog posts).  While obviously I've been baking with these ingredients a lot, I've been using them in savory recipes as well.  Martha Stewart has some great slideshows showcasing seasonal ingredients on her site.  I like to go on there and just flip through ingredient after ingredient when the mood to cook strikes, and that's where I found this recipe.  I have been wanting to make gnocchi for quite some time now, and though I had plans to make potato gnocchi, I just couldn't pass up a chance to cook with pumpkin.

I was a little discouraged as I was making this, as the dough required significantly more flour than is called for.  Though to be fair, I used canned pumpkin over fresh, and that could have made a difference.  I might have also just added too much, but it was so sticky there is no way I could have shaped anything out of it.  I honestly don't know how much more I added, I just added a tablespoon at a time until I reached a dough I was happy with.  My gnocchi-shaping skills leave much to be desired, but practice makes perfect, so I guess I'll just have to make more gnocchi!

After forming the gnocchi, the recipe comes together quite quickly.  They are cooked in boiling water while you make a sauce of shallots, mushrooms, more pumpkin, sage, and cream.  This is a really indulgent meal, but trust me when I say that a little bit goes a long way.  I ate what amounted to one serving, and I was really really full afterwards.

We all really enjoyed this dinner, which is saying a lot because Joey doesn't typically care for pumpkin.  He even went so far as to say it was one of the best things I had made in the past few weeks.  The gnocchi are soft little pillows of dough, and the pumpkin plays very well off the richness of the cream and the earthiness of the mushrooms. While I made this on a Monday night, it is better suited for a weekend meal, and would be an impressive dish to serve to guests as well.

One Year Ago:  Easy Crockpot White Bean and Chicken Chili


Pumpkin Gnocchi with Mushrooms
adapted from Martha Stewart, originally from Chef Frank DeCarlo
serves 4

• 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
• 2 cups flour, plus more as needed
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg, plus more for serving
• 1 1/4 cups grated Pamigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 2 shallots, minced
• 6 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 8 fresh sage leaves
• 3/4 cup chicken or vegetable stock
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup heavy cream

Mound the flour, nutmeg, and 1 Tablespoon salt on a large work surface.  Form a well in the center, and add 1 cup of the grated cheese and all but 1/4 cup of the pumpkin puree.   Slowly incorporate the flour, beginning from the inner rim of the well.  Form dough into a rounded mass, and knead 4-5 minutes, adding more flour as necessary.

Divide the dough into 4 equal portions, and on a well-floured surface, roll each portion into a cylinder of about 1-inch diamter.  Cut the dough into 1/2-inch segments and set aside.  Repeat with remaining dough.

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.  Add the gnocchi, and cook 4 minutes, or until they rise to the surface.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the shallots, sage, and mushrooms, and saute until softened, 3-4 minutes.  Add the remaining 1/4 cup pumpkin, stock, white wine, cream, and 1/4 cup grated cheese.  Cook, stirring constantly, about 30 seconds.  Season with salt and pepper

Use a slotted spoon to transfer the gnocchi from the boiling water to the skillet, and toss to combine.  Divide evenly among serving bowls, and top with additional cheese and a sprinkle of nutmeg.  Serve immediately.