Lighter pumpkin gnocchi with sage butter sauce

Gnocchi is one of the most popular Italian dishes thanks to its dense yet soft texture and of course the rich flavour of the sauce you choose. However, if you’re looking for a bit of an interesting twist on the traditional dish, why not try this mouth-watering recipe.

Each delicious piece of pasta is made from pumpkin and flour dough that works perfectly when coated in flavourful butter and sage sauce. The best part about this recipe however is just how simple it is to make! Homemade pasta is never an easy feat, but this method is surprisingly stress-free!

Ingredients

• 1kg piece pumpkin, peeled, cut into 3cm pieces
• Olive oil cooking spray
• 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups plain flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• 125g butter, chopped
• 1/2 cup sage leaves
• shaved pecorino cheese, to serve

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200C. Line baking tray with baking paper. Place pumpkin on tray. Spray with oil. Season with salt and white pepper. Roast for 40 to 45 minutes or until tender. Transfer to large bowl. Mash until smooth. Stand for 10 minutes.
2. Sift 1 1/2 cups flour over pumpkin. Season with salt and pepper. Stir together until well combined and a soft dough forms. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface. Knead gently for 3 minutes. Cut into 4 pieces. Roll each piece into a 30cm-long sausage shape. Cut each roll into 3cm pieces. Press with a fork to make slight indents in each piece.
3. Bring large saucepan of salted water to the boil over high heat. Add one-quarter of the gnocchi. Cook for 2 minutes or until gnocchi has all risen to the surface. Cook for a further 2 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon. Transfer to large bowl. Cover with foil to keep warm. Repeat with remaining gnocchi, in 3 batches.
4. Heat butter in small saucepan over medium heat until melted and sizzling. Add sage. Cook for 2 minutes or until butter turns golden. Spoon gnocchi into bowls. Spoon over sage butter. Season with pepper. Top with pecorino and serve.