Pumpkin Gnocchi With Sage Sauce

Sample Photo of Pumpkin Gnocchi

It takes about 5 minutes to make gnocchi and they freeze beautifully. Just put them on parchment paper on a baking tray and pop in your freezer for about half an hour. Then put them into ziplock baggies for future meals. 

When you are busy and need a quick but yummy meal, pull them out of the freezer and drop (still frozen) into boiling water. When they rise to the top they are ready to eat.

Ingredients

* 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
* 1/4 tsp Nutmeg
* 1 tsp salt
* 1/2 cup parmesan cheese grated
* 1 beaten egg. Some cooks just use the yolk.
* about 1 cup of flour. You might need a bit more, or a bit less. Go by the feel of the dough as you mix it. 

Method:

In large bowl, stir together pumpkin purée, Parmesan cheese, salt and nutmeg. Using a wooden spoon, stir in 3/4 cup of the flour. Stir in enough of the remaining flour a bit at a time, to make soft, sticky dough that pulls away from bowl but still sticks to spoon and fingers. 

Next lay out a pastry sheet if you have one. It makes cleanup easier. I swear that next time I make gnocchi I am wearing disposable medical gloves! My hands get covered in sticky dough and there is always something I forgot to get out of the drawer which I need half way through...

Dump the mixture out on your pastry sheet. Make an indentation in the middle and mound the sides up around it. 

Put your beaten egg in and start mixing the dough with your hands. Just scoop up the edges and incorporate into the egg. Add more flour as needed until you have a nice dough that is pliable but not sticky. 

Cut the dough into 4 roughly equal pieces.

One at a time you are going to roll the dough out with your hands into a sausage shape until is about 12 inches long and 3/4 inch around. 

With a pastry cutter or sharp knife, cut the sausage into equal pieces about 1" long.

Make a nice indentation in each gnocchi with your finger. This will hold the sauce when you cook them.

When you're done rolling and cutting each piece of dough, put the gnocchi pieces on to a piece of parchment on a baking tray and pop in the freezer for about 30 minutes. Then freeze them in dinner size quantities. Just add a salad or green vegetable and you've got a fast, yummy and economical supper! 

To cook, just drop in boiling water. When the gnocchi pop to the surface they are ready. Serve with a sage sauce.  

Ingredients for Sage Sauce:
1/3 cup  butter 1/4 cup  pine nuts 12  fresh sage leaves  

Method
In large skillet, melt butter over medium heat; cook pine nuts until lightly toasted and butter just begins to brown, about 2 minutes. Add sage leaves; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Scrape over gnocchi; toss to coat.