Meatless Mondays: Vegan Pumpkin Gnocchi with Sage

<Meatless Mondays is a national campaign that asks people to cut out meat from their diets one day a week in order to improve personal and environmental health. Change.org provides a seasonal, vegetarian recipe every Monday. For more Meatless Mondays meal options, see here, here, here, here, here, and here.

Is it too early for a pumpkin recipe? Traditionally, perhaps, but with the heat we've had this summer in the Northeast, the pumpkins are here and ready to go. Snatch some up from the farmers' market before they all get turned into Halloween decorations. When cooking with pumpkins, it is best to use the smaller varieties, as they tend to be less stringy and have better flavor than the larger types, which are more suited for Jack-o-Lanterns.

This recipe for vegan pumpkin gnocchi is also quite adaptable. If you don't have pumpkin, try another type of winter squash, or go the more traditional route and use potato instead of pumpkin. Yams would also provide an interesting color and flavor to this recipe.

For the sauce, I prefer a simple drizzle of sauteed garlic, sage, and olive oil. Tomato sauce or a creamy alfredo-type sauce, however, would also work well.

Pumpkin Gnocchi
(Serves 2)

1 cup pumpkin, cooked and mashed (about 1 small pumpkin)
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups flour (whole wheat is fine, but make sure it's pastry flour)
1/4 cup olive oil, plus more
12 sage leaves
Salt and pepper, to taste

1) Cut the pumpkin in half, and remove the seeds and strings. Lightly rub each half with olive oil and place cut-side down, on a baking tray. Roast in a 425 degree oven for 45 to 60 minutes, until the skin is slightly charred and blistered and the inside is soft. Scoop out the flesh of the pumpkin, mash with a fork, and set aside.

2) Heat a little olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat and saute half of the minced garlic for a minute or two. Add the pumpkin, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt and pepper to taste, and stir together for another minute or two. Remove from heat and add to a large bowl.

3) Slowly add the flour to the pumpkin, and mix to make a soft dough. Don't overknead it though, you just want to mix them together well. Add more flour if the dough is too wet. Let sit for about 30 minutes.

4) On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough into many small, bite-sized balls, and press lightly on one side with a fork to mark them. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Gently add the gnocchi and boil until they float to the top, about 3 to 5 minutes. Drain.

5) Meanwhile, saute the remaining garlic and the sage in 1/4 cup olive oil (you could also use butter instead) over medium heat. Serve over the gnocchi and enjoy!

Photo credit: the_girl via Flickr