How long can I keep pumpkin Alfredo gnocchi?

The finished gnocchi with sauce keep for 2 days in the fridge. I freeze uncooked gnocchi on a tray and then in a bag, so you can keep them for up to 3 months and cook them straight from frozen.

Which pumpkin should I use?

You can really use any pumpkin. I like a Hokkaido because the skin goes soft. Butternut squash works great too and gives a slightly drier, sweet purée, which is ideal for gnocchi.

Why do I bake the potatoes instead of boiling them?

Baked potatoes don't absorb extra water. The drier your potatoes, the less flour you need and the lighter your gnocchi will be.

Can I make the gnocchi without a stand mixer?

Absolutely! Use a potato ricer for the potatoes and mix everything by hand or with a wooden spoon. My KitchenAid does make it a lot quicker and easier, though.

What should I serve with it?

A fresh green salad with a sharp vinaigrette is the perfect contrast to these creamy gnocchi. A few slices of crispy pancetta on top are delicious too, if you're not making the vegetarian version.

Pumpkin Alfredo gnocchi with homemade pumpkin gnocchi

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2u (waarvan 1u in de oven)

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This recipe is for all my pumpkin lovers! There's pumpkin in the gnocchi and in the sauce, and the result is incredible comfort food. You can use whichever pumpkin you like. With a Hokkaido you can even keep the skin, because it turns soft. And roasting the pumpkin in the oven is so easy that you hardly have to look after it.

The whole recipe is extra easy thanks to my new KitchenAid companion. I usually bake with it, but here I want to show you what a great help it is for savoury cooking too, with all the lovely attachments you can add. Do I feel a holiday wish list coming on? Also perfect to make for Halloween! Enjoy!

Ingredients

What do you need?

Quantity: 6P

For the gnocchi

1 pumpkin of about 1.2 kg (half of it)

1 kg floury potatoes

250 g flour + extra for dusting

4 egg yolks

50 g Parmesan cheese, grated

salt and pepper

pinch of nutmeg

1 tbsp olive oil (to brush the pumpkin)

For the sauce

the other half of the roasted pumpkin

1 shallot, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

30 g butter

1 tbsp olive oil

300 ml cream

50 g Parmesan cheese, grated

2 tbsp gnocchi cooking water

black pepper

To finish

a handful of pine nuts

about 12 sage leaves

50 g Parmesan cheese, grated

extra black pepper or chilli flakes

For the gnocchi

1 pumpkin of about 1.2 kg (half of it)

1 kg floury potatoes

250 g flour + extra for dusting

4 egg yolks

50 g Parmesan cheese, grated

salt and pepper

pinch of nutmeg

1 tbsp olive oil (to brush the pumpkin)

For the sauce

the other half of the roasted pumpkin

1 shallot, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

30 g butter

1 tbsp olive oil

300 ml cream

50 g Parmesan cheese, grated

2 tbsp gnocchi cooking water

black pepper

To finish

a handful of pine nuts

about 12 sage leaves

50 g Parmesan cheese, grated

extra black pepper or chilli flakes

Make it veggie!

This recipe is vegetarian, except for one thing: classic Parmesan is made with animal rennet. Swap it for a vegetarian Italian-style hard cheese (many supermarkets sell one) and you're all set.

Preparation method

How do you make this?

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Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Cut the pumpkin in half. No need to remove the seeds yet. Brush the cut sides with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Place the pumpkin halves cut side down on a baking tray lined with baking paper.

Prick holes in the potatoes with a skewer, wrap them in baking paper and place them on the tray too. Roast everything for 1 hour, until the pumpkin and potatoes are completely soft.

Meanwhile, finely chop the shallot and garlic.

Let the pumpkin cool slightly, then scoop the seeds out of both halves. Scrape the flesh of one half into the bowl of your stand mixer and keep the flesh of the other half aside for the sauce.

Peel the potatoes while they're still warm. Run them through the grater attachment of your KitchenAid, straight into the bowl with the pumpkin. No potato ricer needed.

Add 50 g Parmesan, the egg yolks, flour, salt, pepper and nutmeg and mix everything really well.

Dust your worktop with flour and briefly knead the potato and pumpkin mixture. Divide it into 4 equal pieces and roll them into 4 logs with a little flour.

Cut the logs into pieces. Roll each piece lightly and press the typical gnocchi pattern into it with a fork. If you have a gnocchi board, you can of course use that.

Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil.

Heat the butter and olive oil in a large casserole and fry the sage leaves until crispy. Take them out and set aside for later.

Sauté the shallot and garlic in the same fat until nicely golden.

Scrape the reserved pumpkin flesh into the pan. Add the cream and 50 g Parmesan and let it simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes. Season with black pepper.

Cook the gnocchi in the salted water. As soon as they float to the surface, they're done.

Whisk the sauce once more with 2 tbsp of the gnocchi cooking water. Add the gnocchi and give everything a gentle stir.

Briefly toast the pine nuts in a dry pan until golden brown.

Finish with the pine nuts, Parmesan, crispy sage, chilli flakes and extra black pepper. I really love those chilli flakes!

Tips

I prefer to use a Hokkaido, because it has a sweet, nutty flavour and a beautiful bright colour. With a Hokkaido you can simply use the soft skin too.
Is your dough still sticky? Work in a little extra flour bit by bit. Go easy though: the less flour, the lighter your gnocchi.
Want a super smooth sauce? Blend the pumpkin flesh with the cream using a hand blender before adding it to the pan.
Storage
Fridge: the finished gnocchi with sauce keep for 2 days in an airtight container.
Freezer: first freeze the uncooked gnocchi spread out on a floured baking tray, then transfer them to a freezer bag once hard. They keep for up to 3 months. Cook them straight from the freezer; it just takes a minute longer. You can freeze the sauce separately for up to 2 months.
Reheating: best in a pan over low heat, with a splash of water or cream so the sauce turns creamy again. The microwave works too, but stir halfway through.