Gluten-free gnocchi with pumpkin and pepper cream

Ingredients

• 500 gpotatoes suitable for gnocchi, weighed with their skins on
• 80 gwholemeal rice flour
• 40 gpotato starch
• 8 gfine salt
• to taste, optionalnutmeg
• 400 gDelica pumpkin, weighed after peeling and deseeding
• 200 gred peppers, weighed after trimming
• 1bay leaf
• 2 clovesgarlic
• 1 teaspoonblack peppercorns
• a few sprigsfresh thyme
• 2 or 3 leavessage
• to tasteextra-virgin olive oil
• to tastesalt

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook the pumpkin

   Cut the pumpkin into small pieces and boil it in about 600 g of salted water with the bay leaf, one garlic clove and the peppercorns. Once tender, lift it out with a slotted spoon and blend it with a little of the cooking liquid until smooth and not too thick.

2. 2

   Soften the peppers

   Cut the peppers into small squares. Sauté them in a pan with a little extra-virgin olive oil, the other garlic clove, the sage, thyme and a pinch of salt. Add just a splash of water to soften them slightly.

3. 3

   Make the dough

   Boil the whole potatoes, skins on, until very soft. Drain and leave them until cool enough to handle, then peel and press them through a potato ricer. Mix in the rice flour, potato starch, 8 g of fine salt and a little grated nutmeg, if using, until you have a dough you can work by hand.

4. 4

   Shape the gnocchi

   Leave the dough to rest at room temperature for 20 minutes, then shape it into small gnocchi as you prefer.

5. 5

   Boil and serve

   Bring a large pan of lightly salted water to the boil; you can add any pumpkin cooking liquid left over. Drop in the gnocchi and lift them out with a slotted spoon as soon as they rise to the surface. Gently toss them with the peppers, then spoon the pumpkin cream onto the plates and arrange the gnocchi and peppers on top.

What are gnocchi?

Gnocchi are Italian dumplings, commonly made with potato and served with a sauce or other seasoning. This version uses wholemeal rice flour and potato starch in place of wheat flour, with pumpkin and pepper providing the accompaniment.

The method keeps the components distinct: a smooth pumpkin cream goes underneath, while the gnocchi are gently combined with herby peppers before serving.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 200 calories, 0g protein, 0g carbs, 20g fat.

The potatoes and rice flour provide most of the carbohydrates, while the olive oil contributes fat; the potato, flour and vegetables provide only modest protein. Pair a serving with a protein-rich side, such as beans, to make the plate more balanced.

Choosing the potatoes

Potatoes suited to gnocchi are the starting point for a dough that can be shaped by hand. Boil them whole and with their skins on as directed, then peel and rice them once they have cooled enough to handle.

Rice them while still warm rather than mashing them vigorously, which can make the potato mixture gluey.

Getting the dough right

Add the wholemeal rice flour, potato starch and salt to the riced potatoes, working the mixture until it is manageable by hand. The recipe gives no exact amount of nutmeg; add a little grated nutmeg if you want its optional warmth.

Resting the dough for 20 minutes at room temperature gives you time to prepare for shaping. Keep handling gentle and stop once the dough can be formed.

Building the pumpkin cream

The pumpkin simmers with bay, garlic and peppercorns in about 600 g of salted water. Lift it out when tender, then blend it with only a little cooking liquid at first.

Add more liquid as needed to reach a smooth cream that is not too thick. This gives you control over the consistency without losing the pumpkin flavour.

Softening the peppers

Cutting the peppers into small squares helps them soften quickly in the pan. Cook them with the second garlic clove, sage, thyme, olive oil and a pinch of salt, adding just a splash of water.

They should soften slightly rather than turn into a purée. Toss them with the cooked gnocchi carefully so the dumplings keep their shape.

Knowing when the gnocchi are ready

Bring a large pan of lightly salted water to a boil before adding the gnocchi. According to the recipe, they are ready to lift out as soon as they rise to the surface.

Use a slotted spoon and transfer them gently to the pepper pan. You can use leftover pumpkin cooking liquid in the gnocchi water, as suggested in the method.

Serving the dish

Spoon the pumpkin cream onto the base of each plate and place the gnocchi and peppers on top. Keeping the cream beneath the dumplings makes it easy to serve and lets each portion pick up some sauce.

Serve straight away, while the gnocchi are freshly boiled and the pepper mixture is warm.

Recipe notes & tips

• Weigh the pumpkin and peppers after cleaning them, as specified in the ingredient list.
• Blend the pumpkin with a little cooking liquid first, then add more only if needed.
• Let the boiled potatoes cool until manageable before peeling and ricing them.
• Measure the 20-minute dough rest at room temperature before shaping.
• Lift the gnocchi out as soon as they rise, using a slotted spoon.
• Fold the gnocchi through the peppers gently to help them hold their shape.

Variations

• More herbs: Adjust the balance of thyme and sage to suit your taste.
• Extra nutmeg: Add a little more grated nutmeg to the dough for a stronger spice note.
• Smoother cream: Blend the pumpkin for longer and add cooking liquid gradually.
• Chunkier peppers: Cut the peppers into slightly larger pieces and allow them to soften gently.
• Use the cooking liquid: Add some leftover pumpkin broth to the water for boiling the gnocchi.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Over-thick pumpkin cream: Blend in a little more cooking liquid until it is smooth and spoonable.
• Gluey potato mixture: Rice the potatoes rather than beating or overworking them.
• Dry peppers: Add the small splash of water called for while they soften in the pan.
• Overcooked gnocchi: Lift them out as soon as they rise to the surface.
• Broken dumplings: Handle the dough gently and toss the cooked gnocchi carefully with the peppers.

How to store

Store leftover components in separate airtight containers in the fridge and use within 2 days. Reheat the pumpkin cream and peppers gently in a pan; warm the gnocchi briefly in hot water or fold them carefully into the sauce until heated through.

Frequently asked questions