Pumpkin Gnocchi

Cook Time 2 hours

Servings 6

Ingredients

1 x small (800g) Jap or Kent pumpkin

400g floury potatoes, (such as Sebago, if not Desires will do) washed not peeled

400g plain flour, sifted (may need a little more or less depending on water content of vegetables)

1 egg

1 handful of finely grated parmesan plus extra to serve

Pinch of nutmeg

150g butter

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

Small handful each of sage, parsley, oregano, rosemary, finely chopped

Orange zest (optional)

Salt and pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C. Place the whole pumpkin on a tray and bake in the oven for 45 minutes or until tender. Remove and cool enough to handle.

In the meantime, cover potatoes with cold, salted tap water and bring to the boil. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until tender. Drain and cool enough to handle. Pass potatoes onto a clean surface through a ricer, discarding skins. Cut open the cooked pumpkin and scoop flesh into a bowl, discarding the seeds and the skin. You will need 600g of pumpkin flesh. Mash with a fork and add to the pile of potato. Using a fork lightly mix together with salt, pepper and make a well in the centre.

Add the egg to the centre and then sprinkle 3/4 of the flour on top with the Parmesan. Use a fork to start mixing, then use your hands or a pastry scraper to lightly knead the mixture together to incorporate all of the flour. If the dough is very sticky, add a little more flour until the dough forms and it’s almost smooth. Divide dough into 8 equal portions. Roll each into 1.5cm-thick sausages onto a floured surface. Now cut 2cm wide gnocchi and place on a tray lined with baking paper and dusted with flour.

For the butter sauce, in a large pan melt the butter until it begins to foam. Keep cooking until the milk solids begin to turn golden and it will smell nutty. Now add the garlic, herbs and salt and pepper and remove from the heat.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a gentle boil. The water should not be rapidly boiling, as this will break the delicate gnocchi. Add in batches and cook 1–2 minutes or until they rise to the surface.

Using a slotted spoon remove gnocchi from water and place into the butter sauce, allowing some of the water to be added to the butter. Return to a low heat and gently toss gnocchi through the sauce. Serve with extra parmesan, nutmeg and orange zest.