Making Gnocchi with the Kids
Homemade gnocchi is a great meal to prepare with kids – it’s basically playdough you can eat, right?! Packed with nutrition, this recipe has pumpkin (vegetable – tick) and ricotta. The ricotta adds flavour but also makes the gnocchi lovely and light. Enjoy. Lauren
Pumpkin and Ricotta Gnocchi with Burnt Butter and Sage
Ingredients
- 300g pumpkin, steamed
- 220g fresh ricotta
- 240g plain flour + extra for dusting
- 50g parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 egg (optional)
- Pinch nutmeg
- Pinch Salt
- Black pepper
- 50g butter
- Handful fresh sage leaves
- Parmesan or Pecorino to serve
- Semolina, optional
Method
Blend pumpkin in a food processor, add other ingredients and gently mix until combined.
This should be a soft dough. At this point, you can pop it in the fridge for about an hour which will make it a little firmer to work with. You can add extra flour if it’s too soft to work with but remember, the softer it is the lighter the gnocchi will be.
Fill large pot with salted water and bring to the boil on the stove.
Dust bench or work surface with flour, and tip dough out. Sprinkle with flour and shape into small gnocchi’s (about 2inch), or alternatively, roll into a log shape and shop with a knife.
Place on tray dusted with semolina or flour. Gnocchi is best prepared at the time of cooking but you can place it in the fridge at this stage for an hour or so if needed.
Add gnocchi to water. When they rise to the surface they are ready, this should only take a few minutes. Drain in colander.
Meanwhile, add butter to a frypan on medium-high heat. As it melts add sage, then add gnocchi. Continue to cook, shaking the pan and gently turning the gnocchi with a spoon if needed. Sage leave should start to crisp and butter will turn a lovely golden colour.
Serve immediately and season with salt, pepper and cheese.
Variations:
- Serve with Napoli sauce
- If you omit the egg, make sure your ricotta is not too wet
Lauren Burns is the Niño ELA Nutritional Ambassador, an Olympic gold medallist and a leading nutritionist who shares our passion for building healthy eating habits for life.
