As if homemade pumpkin gnocchi wasn’t good enough, I went ahead and drowned them in brown butter flavored with blue cheese. Sorry about the self congratulation, but this super plate of pasta deserves it. Really does.
Do you understand what this recipe means? Let me deconstruct it, the it thing to do now. There’s a top layer of brown butter with some blue cheese added to it; that means a flavored brown butter, and it’s like the extraordinary thing that is butter when browned just got a little saltier, greasier, oh my, just wonderful.
Beneath that you find bites of pale orange pumpkin with ricotta, so smooth they will make you a convert if you had any doubt about making homemade gnocchi, which is only a matter of practice and lightness of fingers.
It was about time I shared this recipe with you – it’s the second Halloween this blog is celebrating – and it’s a surprise I waited so long, given it’s the one that made me get these little morsels right after a disastrous (yes, it deserves both italic and underlining) attempt at making potato gnocchi for the first time, the same night I had invited some friends over for dinner, of course.
The night would include gnocchi and apple pie, my idea that a picture in a magazine and a passion for cooking were enough to produce a stellar dinner that would have everyone talking.Short story: the potato bites were like small lead balls, I think you could actually hit someone unconscious with them if you really wanted; maybe the cook? ha. Inedible too. The apple pie filling alone couldn’t save the entire night – the pie crust was another
failure if you must ask – and I don’t remember what we ate, probably had something delivered. Food stories, we all have a lot of those.
The night would include gnocchi and apple pie, my idea that a picture in a magazine and a passion for cooking were enough to produce a stellar dinner that would have everyone talking.Short story: the potato bites were like small lead balls, I think you could actually hit someone unconscious with them if you really wanted; maybe the cook? ha. Inedible too. The apple pie filling alone couldn’t save the entire night – the pie crust was another
failure if you must ask – and I don’t remember what we ate, probably had something delivered. Food stories, we all have a lot of those.
Homemade pasta is a wonder, the results so different and better, it is worth the effort.
Gnocchi are one of the simplest to master, it’s more about feeling the dough, pretty much like mastering bread making.
Ingredients vary a lot in moisture content and that is the main reason for failure. Not enough flour and you have pumpkin ricotta puree, the balls melding into one big mess; too much flour and they keep their shape wonderfully but you run the risk of cracking a tooth – an exaggeration I know, but then you should’ve seen that first attempt at potato gnocchi I talked about before.
Ingredients vary a lot in moisture content and that is the main reason for failure. Not enough flour and you have pumpkin ricotta puree, the balls melding into one big mess; too much flour and they keep their shape wonderfully but you run the risk of cracking a tooth – an exaggeration I know, but then you should’ve seen that first attempt at potato gnocchi I talked about before.
So it’s all about knowing the right texture, which in this recipe’s case, is about being able to make a rope but not lift it up easily from the table. That way you’ll get gorgeous gnocchi that freeze perfectly well; so spend some time making a big batch and then freeze them for later times. Talk about a great quick dinner.
Pumpkin and pasta are commonly paired with butter and herbs, especially sage. The idea is not to overpower the soft flavor of the pasta. So the amount of blue cheese is given by how strong it is.
Making gnocchi is easy if you organize your working space and ingredients, much like marshmallows. There’s no need to panic when you’ve read the recipe through and have enough table space to work on.
I do not roll them down the fork to make the characteristic ridges, because they are extremely tender, and I’d have to make them much firmer (read: too much flour) in order to be able to make the indentations.
I do not roll them down the fork to make the characteristic ridges, because they are extremely tender, and I’d have to make them much firmer (read: too much flour) in order to be able to make the indentations.
It was raining the day I made these, so I set the mise en place and then managed to make them in a short time when the sun came out. Now I have a few meal’s worth of them in the freezer.
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Homemade pumpkin ricotta gnocchi with blue cheese brown butter
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
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I suggest you start with the amount of blue cheese given in the recipe and add some more on top of the pasta if you feel you want more. If your ricotta is watery, drain it through a kitchen towel or cheesecloth on a colander over a bowl for a few hours.
The pumpkin puree needs to be as dry as possible, so you might need to drain it.
**One thing you can do if you’re doing gnocchi for the first time, is to have a pot of boiling salted water when you start making the gnocchi. Shape a small amount without adding too much flour, boil them and taste them. Fix amount of flour and seasonings accordingly.
Scale
Ingredients
For the pumpkin gnocchi:
- 1 pound 450g cold butternut squash or pumpkin puree, see below
- 6.5 oz 180g ricotta
- 3.5 oz 100g parmesan cheese, grated
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 ½ to 2 cups flour + more for the working surface
For the blue cheese brown butter:
- 8 Tbs butter
- ½ cup crumbled blue cheese
- Fresh or dried thyme (for sprinkling)
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
For the pumpkin gnocchi:
- In a large bowl, mix pumpkin with ricotta. Add yolks, parmesan, a little salt, pepper and mix well.
- Add 1 cup flour and start combining with a fork. It should be thick but still wet.
- Heavily flour board and dump the pumpkin mixture. Add flour on top to cover, and, with floured hands, start gathering the dough.
- Take a piece of pumpkin dough, and shape it into a log. You should be able to make a rope, so add flour as you need, a little at a time, and make sure you stop when you can cut it in pieces and they hold their shape. They will still be very soft. That is fine.
- Transfer them to a floured baking tray, not touching each other.
- When ready to eat them, cook in abundant salted water, directly from the fridge or the freezer (no need to defrost them).
- Once they float to the surface they are done. Take them out, draining the water well and transfer to the serving plate. Drizzle with the butter on top, sprinkle with thyme, some black pepper and more blue cheese if you want.
- Eat immediately.
For the blue cheese brown butter:
- Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
- It will bubble and make loud chirping noises. Then the bubbles will subside and it will foam. That’s when it’ll start to brown, so watch it carefully. You want a golden color.
- Remove from the heat, add the cheese and mix. Some bits might remain.
- Use hot or warm.
To make pumpkin puree:
- roast a butternut squash or pumpkin cut in half, in a 350ºF oven, until soft.
- Scoop out the pulp and process it until smooth. Keep refrigerated. If it’s too wet when you process it, drain it through a kitchen towel or cheesecloth, in a colander over a bowl. The excess water will collect in the bottom. Just throw it away.
- Refrigerate them if you’re using them soon. If not, freeze them until rock hard, then transfer to a bag and keep frozen.
When ready to eat them, cook in abundant salted water, directly from the fridge or the freezer (no need to defrost them).
Once they float to the surface they are done. Take them out, draining the water well and transfer to the serving plate. Drizzle with the butter on top, sprinkle with thyme, some black pepper and more blue cheese if you want.
Eat immediately.
For the blue cheese brown butter:
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. It will bubble and make loud chirping noises.
Then the bubbles will subside and it will foam. That’s when it’ll start to brown, so watch it carefully. You want a golden color.
Then the bubbles will subside and it will foam. That’s when it’ll start to brown, so watch it carefully. You want a golden color.
Remove from the heat, add the cheese and mix. Some bits might remain. Use hot or warm.
To make pumpkin puree: roast a butternut squash or pumpkin cut in half, in a 350ºF oven, until soft.
Scoop out the pulp and process it until smooth. Keep refrigerated.
If it’s too wet when you process it, drain it through a kitchen towel or cheesecloth, in a colander over a bowl. The excess water will collect in the bottom. Just throw it away.
If it’s too wet when you process it, drain it through a kitchen towel or cheesecloth, in a colander over a bowl. The excess water will collect in the bottom. Just throw it away.
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Today’s 5 related recipes worth looking at:RATATOUILLE BLUE CHEESE LASAGNA from Jane’s Adventures in Dinner
PUMPKIN MAC AND CHEESE from Kim’s Healthy Eats
POTATO GNOCCHI WITH CREAMY CORN SAUCE from The Healthy Helping
SAFFRON POTATO GNOCCHI WITH SAUSAGE AND PORCINI from Manu’s Menu
CREAMY PUMPKIN FETTUCINI from Plentytude
PUMPKIN MAC AND CHEESE from Kim’s Healthy Eats
POTATO GNOCCHI WITH CREAMY CORN SAUCE from The Healthy Helping
SAFFRON POTATO GNOCCHI WITH SAUSAGE AND PORCINI from Manu’s Menu
CREAMY PUMPKIN FETTUCINI from Plentytude
e / dig in says
October 23, 2013 at 03:19a co-worker and i just oohed and aahed over your photos! i'm afraid neither of us like blue cheese, so we would perhaps try feta or just more ricotta… but yum! maybe i need to cast my gnocchi fear to one side!
wp_vknotes_admin says
October 25, 2013 at 00:29feta should work, it's salty enough!
Angie Schneider says
October 23, 2013 at 03:21I can picture this on my lunch table :-)) So delicious with blue cheese and brown butter.
easyfoodsmith says
October 23, 2013 at 09:44I absolutely love gnochhi but I still have to try it in my kitchen. Somehow, there is a kind of barrier that has mind has created in my thoughts about it being a tough dish…and I always hold myself back. I certainly need to get out of my comfort zone and try this out asap!
wp_vknotes_admin says
October 25, 2013 at 00:30Go ahead and try making them, they are quite simple actually!
dentistvschef says
October 23, 2013 at 10:59all the igredients isactually my favourite flavour killer!!!
brown butter, ricotta cheese, and pumpkin combo must be heavently….
Renee says
October 23, 2013 at 12:25And now thanks to you I will be distracted all day…. all I can think about is blue cheese brown butter. Oh heavens Paula.
Natalie G says
October 23, 2013 at 16:10Damn this looks so delicious, I can taste the flavors!!
Deb says
October 23, 2013 at 16:26The gnocchi photos are just fabulous! And the fall flavors lush. A magical post Paula!
wp_vknotes_admin says
October 25, 2013 at 00:30Thanks Deb!
Colette Joseph says
October 23, 2013 at 18:27Oh, yum. Pumpkin gnocchi!
Anne ~ Uni Homemaker says
October 23, 2013 at 20:12These look incredible Paula! Pumpkin ricotta gnocchi with blue cheese and brown butter? It's to die for! I want a big plate of it! Delicious and beautiful.
yummychunklet says
October 23, 2013 at 20:55Oh, you had me at browned butter with blue cheese! Yum!
Karen @ Lemon Grove Cake Diaries says
October 23, 2013 at 21:53I have only tried making gnocchi once, it was ok but it didn't have me rushing back to the kitchen to make it again. This recipe looks absolutely divine, I am sitting here about to have breakfast and now all I can think about is having a bowl of this 🙂 Loved the post and great tips on making gnocchi!
gobakeyourself says
October 23, 2013 at 22:46Absolutely loving the flavour combination in this, brown butter is the best 😀
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
mividaenundulce says
October 23, 2013 at 23:09Nunca he invitado a amigos a comer, he invitado amigos para que vengan a tomar unos tragos, en ese tipo de reuniones es licor y piqueos, fácil. Ahora bien, si hay que invitar comida comida, que sí ha pasado, pues parrilla, no hay pierde. Sabes, me estreso pensar que hay que cocinar, lo máximo que puedo hacer es un postre, pero de los facilitos..ja,ja,a…
wp_vknotes_admin says
October 25, 2013 at 00:32Yo todo lo contrario, me encanta hacer hasta el pan! Así es que me metí más de una vez en hacer cosas que nunca había probado y no con mucha suerte…jaja! Coincido plenamente con la parrilla.
Kitchen Riffs says
October 23, 2013 at 23:44Wow, these look so good. I've never made this dish and should – it's the sort of thing I like to make. Good stuff – thanks so much.
Laura (Blogging Over Thyme) says
October 24, 2013 at 00:39This looks so, so fabulous! Oh my goodness, I'm starting to drool just thinking about it. Love how you flavored the brown butter sauce as well. Can't think of a better dish I'd rather dig into right now!
Patty Price says
October 24, 2013 at 02:24Love (!) this recipe and your photos 😉
I'm going to make the time to make homemade gnocchi-you've made such a wonderful tutorial-thanks much 😉
wp_vknotes_admin says
October 25, 2013 at 00:33You should Patty!
Alice @ Hip Foodie Mom says
October 24, 2013 at 03:02Paula,
oh my gawd! homemade pumpkin gnocchi drowned in brown butter and flavored with blue cheese???!!! Oh my goodness, sounds heavenly and looks freaking delicious!!!! I saw this from Renee's post on G+. . I took a class on making gnocchi a while back and now, after seeing this recipe from you, I can't wait to get into a kitchen again! yum!
Abbe@This is How I Cook says
October 24, 2013 at 03:40A total winner! You deserve a blue ribbon. These sound so good I swear my mouth is watering! Thanks Paula!
Beth says
October 24, 2013 at 22:34Oh my goodness – your gnocchi sounds amazing! Every one of those flavors is great on its own, but together they must be superlative.
And we've all had some of those kitchen disasters….
laurasmess says
October 24, 2013 at 23:27Oh my. Paula, this looks divine!!! I am completely in love with nutty brown butter… and the thyme would compliment the blue cheese and gorgeous soft pumpkin gnocchi perfectly. Mmmm, definitely trying your recipe! My friends and I were talking about a "gnocchi day" the other day (a girl's day making gnocchi together!) so I reckon this recipe will be on the list! xx
wp_vknotes_admin says
October 25, 2013 at 00:35Now that is a super way to spend a day with friends Laura!