Crisp gnocchi and roast pumpkin in brown butter
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
- 1 x batch of my easy homemade potato gnocchi
- 2 tablespoon olive oil divided
- 400 g cubed pumpkin see notes
- 150 g butter
- 20 - 25 sage leaves
- 4 tablespoons balsamic glaze
- Parmesan to serve
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180c (350f)
- Mix the pumpkin pieces with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and roast for around 30 minutes. I roast until the edges are starting to char.
- Boil the gnocchi in a big pot of well salted water until they float then give them an extra 30 seconds. If you are doing a full batch for 4 people then cook them in 2 - 3 batches. I lift them out onto a tray with a spider strainer so the water can stay behind for the next batch.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a big frying pan over medium - high heat and pan fry the gnocchi, turning often until crisp and golden, 5 - 6 minutes.
- Set aside while you brown the butter.
- Melt the butter in a fry pan over medium heat.
- Continue cooking, swirling the pan so it browns evenly.
- It will sizzle then get quite loud and create big bubbles.
- At this stage add the sage leaves and continue swirling the pan.
- It will foam and the milk solids will start to brown and the leaves crisp up. You want it lightly browned, not black so take it off the heat when just nicely browned and foamy.
- It should smell nutty and only take 3 - 4 minutes.
- Add the pumpkin and gnocchi into the pan, swirl and then serve between plates.
- Finish with a few blobs of the balsamic glaze, a good crack of salt and pepper and serve with freshly grated parmesan.
Notes
- Pumpkin - I allow about 100g per person and this is the finished cut weight once peeled/deseeded etc. Cut into bite size pieces.
- Balsamic glaze - This is different to balsamic vinegar. It's much thicker and sweeter and you should be able to find it at the supermarket easily.
- Gnocchi portion size. I allow about 150 - 160g per person but do whatever portion size you like!
- You could use any pasta shape you like instead of gnocchi, allow 150g fresh or 100g dried per person.
- Timing - timing any kind of pasta with a sauce takes a bit of practice. I start pan frying the gnocchi when the pumpkin is almost done. You can then turn the oven down and keep the pan fried gnocchi warming with the pumpkin while you brown the butter, which doesn't take long.