Pumpkin Gnocchi with Pesto

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Pumpkin Gnocchi with Pesto

Pillowy soft and slightly sweet pumpkin gnocchi are served in a delicious pesto, making this a perfect autumn comfort food. Don’t be scared by making gnocchi from scratch, it’s a lot easier than you think! Give it a try.

Total time: 2 hours

Serves 6

Ingredients

Gnocchi:

  • 1 whole medium sized kent pumpkin (the bigger the pumpkin, the more gnocchi it will make)
  • 150g plain flour
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Pesto:

  • 75g kale
  • 30g basil, stalks and all
  • 40g pinenuts, toasted
  • 2 small garlic cloves
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • The Good Grocer Collection extra virgin olive oil

      Method

      1. Preheat the oven to 180° C.
      2. Chop the pumpkin in half and scrape out the seeds. Place both halves cut side down on a baking tray, then roast for 50 minutes-1 hour, or until soft all the way through. Turn the pumpkin halves cut side up and allow them to steam dry until completely cool.
      3. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add the kale and basil and blanch for 10 seconds. Drain and immediately dunk into ice-cold water. This will help them to keep their colour.
      4. Combine the blanched kale and basil, garlic, lemon juice and a generous amount of salt and pepper in a food processor. Blend, adding the olive oil in a slow drizzle, until the pesto is almost smooth (you want it to retain a little bit of texture). Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding a little more of any ingredient you think it may need. 
      5. Weight out 300g of the pumpkin flesh and mash it until smooth, (or run it through a potato ricer). Add a good pinch of salt and the flour, then use your hands to mix everything together and knead it into a ball. If the mixture is too sticky, add a little more flour until it no longer sticks to the side of the bowl.
      6. Roll the gnocchi dough into a long sausage, using extra flour to stop everything sticking, and chop into 1-inch pieces. Cook in salted boiling water for 1-2 minutes, or until they float to the surface.
      7. Heat the butter in a large frying pan. Once hot, add the cooked gnocchi and fry for 5-6 minutes, until a golden. Add a few spoonful’s of the pesto and mix well to combine. Divide between plates and serve topped with parmesan, a few extra pine nuts and a good crack of black pepper.
      Recipe by Georgie Eats