Back to European Dishes! Inspired by our fabulous Italian friends, this special fusion of pumpkin and sweet potato gnocchi brings a delightful twist to a classic dish. Tempted by their incredible recipes, I’ve created a subtle, sentient take—an orange pumpkin feta version of gnocchi. It’s absolutely delicious! Though a bit of a challenge, the effort is well worth it, as your family and friends will LOVE it. This version of Sentient Gnocchi features orange juice, baked pumpkin, and sweet potato, combined with feta or ricotta cheese, chickpea flour, and baking powder to achieve a soft and fluffy texture.
Once you get the hang of it, making gnocchi becomes an easy and rewarding process. Tips for Success Choosing the right pumpkin is crucial, as different varieties of squash and pumpkin have varying moisture levels. Pumpkins tend to be wet and heavy, making them excellent for sauces, but some are drier and easier to work with for gnocchi. Kabocha, Hokkaido pumpkin, or butternut squash are ideal choices for this recipe. Instead of processed wheat flour, we’ll use buckwheat flour to keep this gnocchi gluten-free.
Serving Suggestions :
When it’s time to serve, ensure your butter is properly heated. If you’re vegan, coconut butter works wonders. Keep the gnocchi in a single layer in the pan and let them cook undisturbed for at least a minute—this helps create a crispy, soft, pillowy texture. Non-vegans can use regular butter or olive oil instead of coconut butter. For added flavor, swap sage for rosemary, oregano, or thyme—each brings its own unique touch. Want to take it up a notch? Try adding brown sugar with coconut butter, pumpkin, and sage for a heavenly combination. Follow the steps below to create this beautiful sweet potato gnocchi!
Pumpkin Sweet Potato Gnocchi
Nutritional Benefits: This recipe is filling, low-glycemic, and packed with essential nutrients. The sweet potato delivers a good dose of beta-carotene, which supports vision and overall health. In Ayurveda, sweet potatoes are valued as a light root vegetable that helps pacify Kapha and promotes healthy lymphatic circulation.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups puréed cooked pumpkin or winter squash
- 1/2 cup cooked sweet potato (steamed or boiled until soft)
- 3-4 cups buckwheat flour (adjust as needed based on moisture)
- 1/4 cup coconut butter (unsalted butter optional)
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon thyme
- 2 teaspoons mineral salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2-3 teaspoons fresh sage, minced
- 1/2 cup fresh orange juice without pulp
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese for garnish
Instructions
How to Make the Gnocchi Dough
Begin by preparing the vegetables. Cut the pumpkin in half and bake it in the oven at 180ºC (360ºF) for 30 minutes. Once baked, scoop out the flesh, discarding the seeds.
In a blender, combine the pumpkin, orange juice, cooked sweet potato, sage, thyme, and salt. Blend until smooth, then transfer the mixture to a bowl.
Gradually add 2 cups of buckwheat flour, mixing gently with your hands. Avoid kneading the dough as you would bread. The dough should be soft and pliable but not overly sticky—add more flour as needed.
Shape the dough into a thin log, sprinkling in small amounts of flour until it becomes rollable. The ideal dough should be fluffy and pliable, yet not too firm or elastic like pasta or bread dough.
Preparing the Cooking Water
Before shaping the gnocchi, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add enough salt so that it tastes like seawater and stir in a teaspoon of olive oil. Let it simmer while you form the gnocchi dumplings.
Shaping the Gnocchi
Lightly flour a large work surface and keep additional flour nearby.
Roll the dough into 1-inch thick logs, then cut them into equal-sized pieces. To create traditional gnocchi ridges, dust the pieces with a little flour and press each one gently against the back of a fork, letting it roll off onto the work surface. Alternatively, press each piece with your index finger to form small, pillow-like shapes.
These indentations serve two purposes:
They make the dumplings slightly thinner.
They create grooves that help the gnocchi hold onto sauces better.
Cooking the Gnocchi
Before boiling the gnocchi, add a little olive oil to the water to prevent them from sticking together.
Using a metal spatula, carefully drop a few gnocchi into the water at a time. Increase the heat to a rolling boil and cook until the gnocchi float to the surface. Once they rise, remove them gently with a slotted spoon.
Work in small batches to prevent the gnocchi from clumping together. Repeat until all the dough is used.
Sautéing & Serving
Once all the gnocchi are cooked, heat butter over medium-high heat until it stops frothing. Add enough gnocchi to cover the pan in a single layer. Avoid overcrowding, as they should fry evenly. Let them cook undisturbed for about 60 seconds until lightly crispy.
Transfer the golden gnocchi to a saucepan and sauté them in butter. When slightly crispy, remove from heat and toss with your favorite sauce and Parmesan cheese.
Alternatively, you can keep it simple by using coconut butter or regular butter as the sauce, finishing with Parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of finely minced sage.
Enjoy your delicious pumpkin sweet potato gnocchi!
Nutrition
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340.0 Calories
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50.0g Carbohydrates
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10.0mg Cholesterol
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23.8g Fat
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5.0g Fiber
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8.0g Protein
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350.0mg Sodium
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0.0g Trans fat
Notes
If serving hot, keep the gnocchi warm in the oven. For multiple batches, place the finished gnocchi on a baking sheet in an oven set to warm. Serve immediately, garnished with a dusting of black pepper, truffle salt, and parmesan cheese.
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