[this post is brought to you by Rodelle, who I’m partnering with to create delicious recipes in 2016. I only work with products I truly love and use in my own kitchen. Thank you for your support!]
I made us some pumpkin pillows!
And they sure aren’t the kind you sleep on.
These savory, pillowy pumpkin ricotta gnocchi—gnudi—swim in a fragrant vanilla brown butter and are finished with crisp fried sage. It’s the essence of fall and exactly how pumpkin should be enjoyed.
After making ricotta gnocchi in spring, I kept dreaming of a fall version using pumpkin or squash together with ricotta—not in place of it. Cheesy pumpkin ricotta gnocchi is one of those simple luxuries I can’t get enough of.
Pumpkin, squash or sweet potato in savory pasta isn’t new to me—one of my earliest blog recipes was a sweet potato gnocchi that later became a pumpkin version. I prefer squash in savory dishes, so anything that folds it into ravioli or gnocchi gets my full attention.
But this gets even better—because I stirred vanilla bean seeds into the brown butter.
Those tiny flecks of vanilla and browned butter bits add a warm, caramel-like perfume that elevates the whole plate. It’s indulgent and unexpected in the best way.
I’ve been working with Rodelle to share recipes using Madagascar bourbon vanilla beans, and while I usually reserve vanilla beans for desserts, I decided to use one here. It’s worth it—the result is deeply aromatic without making the dish sweet.
The vanilla doesn’t turn this into a dessert; it simply gives the brown butter an extra layer of flavor that leans toward caramel and enhances the pumpkin and cheese.
A great dish is made from components you’d happily eat on their own. Here, each element—ricotta-pumpkin gnocchi, browned vanilla butter, fried sage, and shaved parmesan—shines alone and becomes transcendent together.
The best part? It’s easy. Mix the ingredients, form a dough, roll and cut, then boil the fresh gnocchi. Toss them in vanilla brown butter and top with butter-fried sage and parmesan. Simple, comforting, and perfect for fall.
Pumpkin Ricotta Gnocchi with Vanilla Brown Butter
Pin Recipe
Leave a Review »
Ingredients
- 8 ounces ricotta cheese
- 4 ounces pumpkin puree
- 1/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
- 1 1/2 to 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- for serving: shaved parmesan cheese
Vanilla Brown Butter
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
Fried Sage
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 handful fresh sage
Instructions
- Place the ricotta on a triple layer of paper towels, cover with another triple layer and press to release excess liquid. Scoop the ricotta into a bowl and weigh out 6 ounces for the gnocchi.
- In a bowl, stir together the ricotta, pumpkin, 1 1/4 cups of the flour, parmesan, eggs, salt and pepper until just combined. Add remaining flour 1 tablespoon at a time until a dough forms. Form into a ball, press into a disk on a floured surface and cut into four pieces. Roll each piece into a 16–18 inch log and cut into 1-inch pieces.
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add gnocchi and cook 2–3 minutes, until they float for about 30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon to drain.
- Toss the gnocchi with the vanilla brown butter, fried sage and shaved parmesan. Serve immediately.
Vanilla Brown Butter
- Heat a saucepan over medium and add the butter. Whisk as it melts and bubbles. After 2–3 minutes you’ll see brown bits form on the pan bottom. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla seeds, whisking for 30 seconds.
Fried Sage
- Place butter in a skillet over medium heat. Once melted and sizzling, add sage leaves and cook about 30 seconds per side until crisp. Remove to a paper towel to drain excess butter.
Did you make this recipe?
Be sure to follow @howsweeteats on instagram and tag #howsweeteats. You can also post a photo of your recipe to our facebook page. I appreciate you so much!
I even tricked Eddie into eating it. I did!