Blending autumn's seasonal flavors into a traditional Italian comfort dish, this pumpkin gnocchi will warm hearts as well as tummies.

 

Serves 4

 

Ingredients:

 

1 small pumpkin (2 lb), cooked and pureed, or 1½ cups puree

2 potatoes, baked and grated

1¼ cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1 egg

1 tsp salt

½ tsp nutmeg

½ tsp ginger

½ tsp cinnamon

Pepper to taste

 

To prepare pumpkin:

If using fresh pumpkin, cut in half and remove seeds. Place both halves cut-side down on a cookie sheet or in a roasting pan, and roast in the oven at 350 degrees until fork tender (about an hour, depending on the size). After the pumpkin cools, scoop out flesh and puree.

 

To prepare gnocchi:

In a large bowl, mix pureed pumpkin, potato, egg, nutmeg, ginger and cinnamon. Add flour, salt and pepper. Mix until just combined; mixture should be soft. Divide dough into six pieces. Roll each piece on lightly floured surface into a long rope, ½-inch in diameter. Cut each rope into ½-inch long pieces to form gnocchi.

 

To cook:

Store gnocchi on a flour-dusted or non-stick sheet pan (The gnocchi can be frozen raw to eat later.). Drop gnocchi pieces in boiling water and cook until they float to the top.

 

To serve:

We suggest serving pumpkin gnocchi in a brown butter sauce, delicious!

 

Café Manna is one of the first 100 percent vegetarian restaurants in southeastern Wisconsin. The café uses locally grown foods as the seasons permit, organic ingredients whenever possible, and no plastic or Styrofoam.

 

Location: 3815 N. Brookfield Rd., Brookfield 53045. For more information, call 262-790-2340 or visit CafeManna.com.