Pumpkin Gnocchi with Fried Sage and Cream Sauce

Step 1

Bake pumpkin and boil potato: Pre-heat oven to 350 fahrenheit (180 celcius) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Peel and scrape out the seeds of a sugar pumpkin or butternut squash and cut into thin slices and place on the baking sheets.. Bake for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, peel a potato and boil it. About 20-30 minutes.

Step 2

Mash pumpkin and potato: When the pumpkin is still warm, crush the pumpkin with a potato ricer or in a food processor, along with the boiled potato. (Pumpkin can be too rich in water and the starch in the potato helps it thicken). On a clean work surface, add the flour, salt, pepper and nutmeg and create fountain with a well in the middle to add the pumpkin and potato mash. Give it a quick mix and make another well.

Step 3

Mix the dough: Whip the egg quickly together and pour into the well. Mix together just until homogeneous.

Step 4

Shape the dough: Work the dough as little as possible and quickly so the starch doesn’t have time to make everything sticky. Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces and roll each piece into a cylinder about 1 inch in diameter, and cut them 1/2 inch thick.

Step 5

Shape the gnocchi: You can either leave them as is, shape on a gnocchi board or using the prongs on a fork to give them the classic gnocchi shape. However, this is a sticky dough so it may be difficult to shape them. Place them on a floured cloth on top of a baking sheet, making sure they don’t touch each other.

Step 6

You can now freeze them or cover them with a towel while you prepare the sauce.

Step 7

Brown butter: Cut butter into smaller, equal pieces and add to a saucepan (easier to see the browning if you choose a light colored one). Melt and let it simmer for about 7-10 minutes or until it has browned and smells nutty.

Step 8

Cook mushroom: In the butter, add chopped chanterelles and shallot onion and cook until mushrooms are soft and has absorbed some of the butter, about 5-7 minutes. Work in batches, especially if you use fresh chanterelles.

Step 9

Simmer 15 minutes: Remove the chanterelles from the pan and if needed, deglaze the pan with a little white wine. Once done, add the rest of the white wine, along with the heavy cream, vegetable stock, Worcestershire sauce, thyme. Let it simmer for 15 minutes or until thickened. Stir in shredded parmesan cheese at the end. Season with salt and pepper if desired. Add mushroom mix back in.

Step 10

Brown butter: Brown butter in a cast iron skillet on medium high heat, about 7 minutes, until it smells nutty.

Step 11

The sage: Add the whole sage leaves and fry for 30 seconds or until crispy. Take them out and leave them to dry on a paper towel.

Step 12

Boil gnocchi: Meanwhile, boil gnocchi in salted water (they can be boiled directly from the freezer). Take them out with a slotted spoon once they have risen to the top. Work in batches so you don't overcrowd the pot and skillet.

Step 13

Fry gnocchi: Add the boiled gnocchi to the cast iron skillet and fry for a couple of minutes total.

Step 14

Serve: Add to serving bowls, ladle the sauce over and top with the crispy sage leaves.