Parisian gnocchi with pumpkin and pecan nuts
I have this eight-year cut-out paper from a magazine I do not remember anymore. A photo of a dish called Parisian gnocchi is there with no written recipe. A photo, I have seen tens of times, yet, up until recently, only dreamt about making it, until it did finally happen. A few weeks ago, when reading more about this not-so-known dish even in France, I discovered, that Parisian gnocchi is nothing else as pâte à choux (the famous éclair and other pastry cake dough) made in the shape of a gnocchi. It turns into the softest and silkiest creature when boiled and eaten. It even melts in the mouth, asking for no chewing. Classically it is served with butter and cheese, and then you even might get on without chewing, but I love it in this vegetarian version with pumpkin and pecans.
30 g Grana Padano or Parmesan, grated
freshly ground black pepper to taste
gnocchi:
240 ml milk
70 g butter, pieces
sea salt to taste
150 g all-purpose wheat flour
3 medium eggs, beaten in a bowl
50 g Comté or Gruyère, or other melting cheese, grated
25 g Parmesan cheese, grated
a pinch of nutmeg, if you want
sauce:
3 tbsp mild extra virgin olive oil
300 g pumpkin, cut into small cubes
1 tsp chopped rosemary
3 garlic cloves, grated
30 g pecan nuts, crushed
1 tbsp curly parsley leaves
Pour milk in a pot. Add butter and salt and heat until the first bubbles appear. Remove the pot from the heat (do not turn off the heat) and, while stirring with a wooden spoon, mix in the flour. Put back on the heat and stir for one minute to dry the mixture a little. Let it sit for 2 minutes.
Add the eggs and stir with a wooden spoon and then with a hand whisk until smooth. Add cheese and mix in with a spoon. Fill a piping bag and cut off the end the size you wish your gnocchi to be. I like mine quite small. Leave aside.
Prepare a cold bowl of water.
In a pan, heat oil, and when hot, add pumpkin, frying on medium-high heat until crispy. In the meantime, boil a pot of salted water and when bubbling, turn the heat lower, to a gentle bubble (otherwise the gnocchi might break all over the kettle). Add the gnocchi, pressing out of the piping bag and cutting with scissors. Boil for 3 minutes, lift out and place in a bowl of cold water.
When the pumpkin is golden and ready, add rosemary and garlic, and mix in. Add drained gnocchi and mix heating on medium heat for a minute or two. Then add pecans and parsley, mix in and serve. You can top with some black pepper and cheese, if you wish.
