Pumpkin Gnocchi alla Romana

Pumpkin Gnocchi alla Romana is an autumnal variant of the classic Roman gnocchi, which are traditionally made with semolina. Pumpkin adds a beautiful color and a sweet flavor that marries perfectly with the recipe. Here’s how to prepare them:

Ingredients

• 1 kg of pumpkin (cleaned and seeds removed)
• 250 g of semolina
• 100 g of butter
• 2 egg yolks
• 100 g of grated Parmesan cheese
• Salt to taste
• Nutmeg to taste

Preparation

1. Start by cleaning the pumpkin, cutting it into pieces, and removing the seeds. Bake it in the oven at 180 °C until soft, for about 30-40 minutes. Afterward, blend it to obtain a purée.
2. In a pot, bring lightly salted water to a boil and add the semolina in a thin stream, stirring continuously to avoid lumps. Cook for about 10 minutes until the semolina detaches from the pot walls.
3. Add the butter in pieces and the egg yolks to the cooked semolina, mixing well.
4. Incorporate the pumpkin purée into the mixture and stir until a homogeneous dough is formed. Add a grating of nutmeg and adjust for salt.
5. Spread the dough on a slightly damp surface, forming a layer about one and a half centimeters thick. Let it cool.
6. Once cooled, use a round cutter (or a glass) to cut out the gnocchi.
7. Arrange the gnocchi on a buttered baking tray, sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and a few flakes of butter.
8. Finally, gratinate the gnocchi in the oven at 200 °C for about 15-20 minutes or until they are golden and crispy on the surface.

This is a basic recipe, to which you can add variations if you wish. To give an extra Italian touch, you could season the gnocchi with a sage and melted butter sauce or add smoked provola cheese to the dough for a more decisive flavor.

Curiosity

Gnocchi alla Romana is a traditional recipe from Lazio’s cuisine, usually served as a first course, but with the addition of pumpkin, they can become the centerpiece of an autumnal table.