Pumpkin Roman-style sempnino Gnocchi with Gorgonzola cheese
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Gnocchi di zucca alla romana con crema di gorgonzola
. The ” gnocchi alla romana ” or Roman-style gnocchi are made from semolina flour (the hard wheat flour often used to make pasta is used instead of potatoes) rather than small round dumplings cooked in water; they are flat, round discs placed in a baking dish and baked. This variation adds teeth to the pumpkin in an autumn version with a spicy, piquant Gorgonzola topping. Gorgonzola is basically the Italian version of blue cheese, and you can substitute blue cheese if you can’t find Gorgonzola.
What you need
4 cups (about 1 litre) whole milk 5.5 tablespoons (80 grams) unsalted or 1 teaspoon fine sea salt freshly ground nutmeg 1 to 3/4 cups (10.3 ounces/292 grams) semolina one 15-ounce (about 400 grams) pumpkin puree 2 egg yolks , lightly beaten 1 cup (about 106 grams) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano 1/2 cup (2 ounces / 57 grams) Gorgonzola or blue cheese , cubed or shredded
How to make
Preheat oven to 390 F (200 °C). Place the milk and 2 tablespoons sugar in a large enough heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the salt and nutmeg. As soon as the milk begins to bubble, slowly sprinkle in the semolina and wean vigorously to prevent lumps from forming. Reduce the heat to low and continue to cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture is smooth and begins to thicken, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the pumpkin puree, egg yolks and grated Parmigiano, stirring the mixture until well blended. Transfer the mixture to a shallow baking dish or tray lightly greased with butter and spread evenly with a rubber spatula (moistened with water to prevent sticking) to a thickness of about 1/2 inch (about 1 cm). Allow to cool and stand for about 5 to 10 minutes, then using a 2-inch (about 5 cm) cookie or biscuit cutter (or you can use a fluted drinking glass of the same diameter), pull out round gnocchi. Arrange gnocchi between overlapping rows on a buttered baking sheet. Melt the remaining 3.5 tablespoons (note that 1/2 tablespoon equals 1-1/2 teaspoons) of butter and sprinkle it evenly over the top of the gnocchi. Bake for about 20-30 minutes, or until cheese is melted and top is lightly browned.
Storage and Preparation
Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 2 days or you can prepare the dish ahead of time by drizzling with Gorgonzola'and refrigerate, then bake (no need to thaw first).
Optional variations
Before baking, place a few shelled walnuts and/or fresh sage leaves finely set on the gnocchi along with the Gorgonzola cubes. Sprinkle an additional topping of Parmigiano-Reggiano in a casserole dish before baking and/or let the broiler sit for a minute or two before serving. Nutrition Facts (per serving) Calories 516 Total fat 26 g Saturated fat 15 g Saturated fat 7 g Cholesterol 134 mg Sodium 879 mg Carbohydrates 50 g Fiber 3 g Protein 22 g (Nutritional information in our recipes is calculated from the ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. Individual results may vary.)
