I did not know what gnocchi was until I saw a recipe using it in NYT most popular new recipes in 2021 and then for the first time ever, saw a package of "pumpkin" gnocchi in the store, so I bought it. I wanted to make a butternut squash sage sauce for the gnocchi and include other compatible vegetables such as roasted butternut cubes, mushrooms, and green kale. I fried the gnocchi in a tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet for 10-15 minutes, which made the outside crispy and the inside pillowy soft. Really good.
I basically followed the pumpkin-sage sauce found at https://www.jessicagavin.com/gnocchi-with-pumpkin-sage-sauce/ except:
- I used 1/2 cup heavy cream and 1/2 cup whole milk instead of 1 cup milk (because I had that much heavy cream leftover that needed to be used up) and added more vegetables.
Other additions I made to finished sauce:
- Separately sautéed 4 large mushrooms (also leftover and needing to be used up).
- Microwaved @ 2-3 cups of green curly kale 2 minutes (also on its last day in the fridge).
- Added roasted butternut squash cubes
I had previously cut up a medium butternut squash, cut into cubes and roasted at 425 degrees for about 30 minutes. I mashed 1 cup of the cooked squash to make the sauce.
Luckily, sage and parsley were still available in the garden (today is Dec 18 and it was sleeting all day. Most of the sage leaves had not dried up yet and there was just enough parsley left for the garnish. A open bag of pepitas was waiting in the cabinet. The fridge still held leftover homemade turkey stock from the day after Thanksgiving that had to be used or thrown away.
I am so fortunate to always have fresh and compatible vegetables and herbs on hand to make delicious meals. This one was scrumptious!
- 1 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons sage thinly sliced into strips
- 1 teaspoon garlic minced, about 2 cloves
- 2 tablespoons shallots minced
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup pumpkin puree (I used roasted and mashed butternut squash)
- ½ cups unsalted chicken stock or broth
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese grated
- 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
- ¼ cup Italian parsley chopped
- Heat a large saute pan and olive oil over medium heat. Once hot, add sage leaves and fry until fragrant and lightly golden in color. Add the garlic and shallots and cook, frequently stirring for about 1 to 2 minutes, until tender but not browned.
- Add milk, pumpkin puree, chicken stock, salt, and pepper, whisk to combine. Stir and simmer for about 5 to 7 minutes, until mixture is slightly thickened.
- Add parmesan cheese and whisk to combine. Add more chicken stock or milk to thin out sauce if needed, adding a tablespoon at a time. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed. Keep warm over low heat as you cook the gnocchi.
- Bring a medium-sized pot of salted water to a boil. Work in batches and cook gnocchi for 1 to 2 minutes, or until they float to the surface. Stir once after 30 seconds to make sure gnocchi are not stuck to the bottom. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked gnocchi into the pumpkin sauce.
- Toss cooked gnocchi into the pumpkin sauce. Divide gnocchi evenly among four serving dishes. Top with a little bit of pepper, grated parmesan cheese, pumpkin seeds, and chopped parsley.
Additions:
- 16 oz of packaged gnocchi after sautéing in oil 10-15 minutes until browned and crispy (stir frequently)
- sautéed mushrooms
- roasted butternut squash cubes
- kale
It was so good, I am writing this blog post so I will remember it so I can make it again.
