Name: Sean Moran’s pumpkin and walnut gnocchi
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 90 min
Total time: 120 min
Yield: 6 - 8
Ingredients: 2 kg butternut pumpkin; 50 ml extra-virgin olive oil; 75 gm walnuts; 1 free-range egg; ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg; 1 tbsp chopped candied orange; 50 gm self-raising flour; 50 gm potato flour; 150 gm butter; ½ cup sage leaves; 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 200 gm aged pecorino or Grana Padano, finely grated

Sean Moran’s pumpkin and walnut gnocchi

A very autumnal dish.

Serves 6 - 8

Prep

30M

Cook

1H 30M

Total

“This gnocchi is inspired by a pumpkin tortelli filling from Lombardy and my time working alongside Franca Manfredi,” says chef Sean Moran. “She used to use mustard fruits from Italy to bring sweetness, which I substitute with candied orange. I’ve swapped the almonds with walnuts because they’re in season in autumn.”

Pictured here with parsley salad with finger lime.

Ingredients

2 kg butternut pumpkin

50 ml extra-virgin olive oil

75 gm walnuts

1 free-range egg

¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg

1 tbsp chopped candied orange

50 gm self-raising flour

50 gm potato flour

150 gm butter

½ cup sage leaves

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

200 gm aged pecorino or Grana Padano, finely grated

Method

1.Preheat oven to 180°C. Halve pumpkin horizontally and remove seeds, then place on an oven tray, drizzle with oil and season well. Bake until tender (1½ hours), drain off any liquid and leave to cool.

2.Meanwhile, toast walnuts (10 minutes), then rub off skins in a tea towel, breaking them up to form a coarse crumb. Transfer crumbled walnuts to a bowl.

3.Scoop flesh from pumpkin into a bowl. Working in batches, wring flesh through a double layer of muslin to remove excess liquid; this will intensify the flavour and avoid a heavy gnocchi. Scrape pumpkin onto a work surface, and, using a pastry scraper, mash to a paste. Mix in 25gm walnuts, egg, nutmeg and orange, then season to taste. Sift flours then scatter most over pumpkin mixture and bring dough together until just combined. Divide dough into walnut-sized portions and roll each portion into a 6cm-torpedo shape and place on a floured tray.

4.Cook gnocchi in batches in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until they float (4 minutes). Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to plates.

5.Meanwhile, melt butter in a frying pan over medium heat, cook sage leaves until crisp (1 minute), add garlic and cook until light golden (5 seconds). Spoon sauce over gnocchi and sprinkle with remaining walnuts and pecorino.