~Amanda~
Thanksgiving is right around the corner and it is by far one of my favorite holidays because it involves so much cooking and baking! I get so excited menu planning with my family and spending hours looking at recipes, new and old, deciding what I should make. We have started a new family tradition of celebrating Thanksgiving at our family townhouse up in the mountains, it’s perfection. Being up there gets you in the holiday spirit so fast, and we get to spend the day on the mountain snowboarding before a delicious meal. It doesn’t get much better than that. No matter where you celebrate, there is always the tough choice of what dishes you are going to make; I would highly recommend this recipe for Pumpkin Gnocchi with Brown Butter Sauce and Crispy Kale as one of your side dishes. The pumpkin gnocchi are the most amazing pillows of flavor and melt in your mouth while the kale adds the perfect contrast of texture, and some extra nutrients, to the dish. It is sure to be a hit at your table this year.
Gnocchi are essentially little dumplings that are usually made out of mashed potatoes, flour, and egg. However, depending on the time of year, I like to substitute the potatoes for something more seasonal, in this case pumpkin. Making homemade gnocchi is not something that’s quick and easy; you need to approach it with determination and perseverance. But like a lot of things, you will definitely get out of it what you put into it. All of your hard work will pay off when you’re done and have one of the most delicious dishes in front of you. Gnocchi, to me, are the essence of fall and the holidays and are an excellent component to add to any Thanksgiving dinner. They are beautiful to look at, very comforting to eat, exceptionally fragrant, and just rich and decadent enough to be show stopper.
The step of rolling the gnocchi with a fork may seem a little bit tedious and unnecessary, and ultimately if you don’t want to do it you don’t have to. However, I believe it’s such an important component of the gnocchi. Not only does it add visual appeal, but it serves the great purpose of soaking up and trapping the sauce in each gnocchi. The sauce in this dish is amazing and you’ll want every bit of it you can get in each bite. The brown butter is so flavorful and the garlic adds the perfect depth of flavor to it. The kale is sautéed until it’s crispy and delicious finishing off the dish perfectly. YUM! I hope you will consider taking on the challenge of homemade gnocchi this year, it may be intimidating but it’s completely worth it.
*If you’re looking for the perfect wine pairing for your Thanksgiving dinner, check out our friend Rachel’s blog Corks, Forks and More. She has a great post up about the best Pinot Noir to go with your meal and I’m sure it’ll pair wonderfully with these gnocchi!
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 1/2 cups flour (I used Bobs Redmill GF Baking Flour)
- 1 egg yolk
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup kale, chopped
- 4 tablespoon parmesan
- salt (for seasoning)
- cinnamon (for seasoning/plating)
- Combine pumpkin puree, egg yolk, salt, and nutmeg in a large mixing bowl. Add flour 1/2 cup at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Continue doing so until the dough comes together (it will be a little sticky, but you need to be able to roll it out).
- Flour a smooth surface and transfer dough over. Knead dough briefly and then cut into 4 pieces. One at a time, roll each piece into a rope about 1 inch thick. Using a sharp knife, cut 1 inch pieces along the rope. Using a fork, gently press the prongs into each piece and pull toward you so it will roll up a bit. Place each gnocchi on a baking sheet with flour so they don't stick.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Working in small groups, transfer the gnocchi to the pot of water (I use my hands to gently drop them in). Cook for about 3-5 minutes until they have floated to the top of the pot. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a plater. Repeat until all gnocchi are cooked.
- Once all gnocchi are cooked, heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir until the butter has browned (this will take a few minutes). Add the garlic and stirr constantly for about 30 seconds. Add the kale and cook about 2-3 minutes until it starts to become crisp. Finally, add in all the gnocchi. Saute in the sauce until they are warmed through and slightly browned on each side. Season with a dash of salt and cinnamon.
- Serve the gnocchi in a large dish. Top with parmesan cheese and another light sprinkling of salt and cinnamon.
- *If you want to make part of this dish ahead, you can make the gnocchi all the way up to the point where you have rolled and shaped them and placed them on a baking sheet. At this point, wrap them with plastic and you can refrigerate them for a few hours before completing the rest of the steps.
