An unctuous, satisfying vegetarian dish from Piemonte
Gnocchi are eaten throughout Italy, and each region has its own general take on sauces. Piemonte, in the north goes for the family of butter, sage, parmesan - creamy and rich. This sauce is no exception. Mashed roast pumpkin or butternut squash, thickened out with cream and gorgonzola.
INGREDIENTS
pumpkin, butternut squash or gourd of your choice
chilli flakes
olive oil
garlic
butter
sage leaves
gorgonzola, or whichever blue cheese takes your fancy
single cream
nutmeg
pepper
walnuts
potato gnocchi
Watch the video
METHOD
Pre-heat the oven to 180ºC
Peel and deseed your gourd
Cut into big chunks, lay it on a baking tray and and sprinkle with salt, chilli flakes and olive oil
Pop it in the oven for 30 minutes
Chop the garlic, walnuts and cheese
Pop a knob of butter into a hot pan - put some olive oil in too, to stop the butter burning
Add the sage leaves and garlic and stir them about a bit to flavour the butter
Add the roast gourd chunks and mash them down with a fork. Mashing with a fork means you don't mash down the garlic or sage
It takes a bit of time
Start boiling the water for the gnocchi
Add the cream and stir through
Add the nutmeg, cheese and walnuts and give it a good stir
Drop the gnocchi into the boiling water. When they start to rise - which takes less than a minute - lift them out with a slotted spoon and put them into the sauce. The water that comes with them will help loosen the sauce
Gently mix them through
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