Ossola gnocchi with pumpkin, chestnuts and Toma
A soft yet substantial mountain first course: potato gnocchi, sweet pumpkin, chestnuts and melted Toma. An autumnal combination that brings Ossola to the table, without unnecessary complications.
Ingredients
For 4 personeFor the gnocchi
For the sauce
Before you start
Method
Cook the potatoes
Wash the potatoes and boil them whole, with the skin on, in plenty of water. When tender in the centre, drain and peel them while still hot, taking care not to burn yourself.
Do not cut the potatoes before cooking: they would absorb too much water.
Prepare the pumpkin
Heat the oil in a large frying pan, add the diced pumpkin, a pinch of salt and a few tablespoons of water. Cook covered until soft but not falling apart, then add the broken chestnuts.
If the pumpkin is very watery, finish cooking it uncovered.
Make the gnocchi dough
Pass the potatoes through a potato ricer directly onto the work surface. Leave to cool slightly for a few minutes, then add the egg, salt and flour a little at a time. Briefly knead until you have a soft, workable dough.
Do not overwork the dough: the gnocchi would become elastic and heavy.
Shape the gnocchi
Divide the dough into portions, roll into ropes and cut into small pieces. If you wish, roll them over the tines of a fork. Arrange them on a lightly floured tray and leave them to rest.
Keep them well spaced apart to prevent them from sticking together.
Prepare the sage butter
In a second frying pan, melt the butter with the sage. Let it gently sizzle until it turns a light hazelnut colour and releases an intense aroma.
Do not let the butter turn dark.
Cook and dress
Cook the gnocchi in plenty of salted water: lift them out with a slotted spoon as soon as they rise to the surface. Transfer them to the pan with the pumpkin and chestnuts, add the sage butter and a small ladleful of cooking water. Turn off the heat, add the Toma and stir gently until melted.
Serve immediately with freshly ground black pepper, if desired.
Good to know
Tips
Choose floury potatoes and mash them while they are still hot: they will absorb less flour and the gnocchi will remain soft. Handle the dough as little as possible, without adding more flour than necessary. For a more intense note, use already cooked chestnuts, roughly broken up rather than ground into flour. Add the Toma away from the heat: it should become stringy and bind the sauce, not split.
Variations
For a more rustic result, replace 40 g of 00 flour with chestnut flour, adjusting the quantity according to the moisture content of the potatoes. Those who prefer a meat-free dish can leave it as it is; for a bolder version, small cubes of crispy speck can be added. Out of season, pumpkin can be replaced with sweet potatoes or braised Savoy cabbage.
Storage
Raw gnocchi can be arranged on a floured tray, covered and stored in the refrigerator for a few hours. The dressed dish is best enjoyed freshly made; alternatively, it can be stored in the refrigerator in a sealed container for 1 day and gently reheated in a frying pan with a splash of water or milk.
Behind this recipe
This is a contemporary recipe inspired by the flavours of the Ossola Valleys: potatoes, chestnuts, mountain cheeses and pumpkin are simple ingredients linked to Alpine home cooking. It does not claim to be a codified traditional preparation, but seeks to bring together its character: seasonal produce, hands-on preparation and a table to share after a day between Domodossola and the Ossola vineyards.
