Pumpkin Gnocchi with Chanterelle Mushrooms

I love autumn. I love everything about it!! The colors, the light, the food, the earthy smells, the cooler temperatures….

Geneva in autumn is just beautiful. The surroundings are breathtaking. You can see how the different colors take over the forest turning the mountain in a multicolor carpet.

But what it is really the best about autumn in Geneva is … the food market!! The pumpkins and the butternut squash are at its best, there are all kind of fragrant mushrooms, great looking parsnip…

So with autumn in the air, I decided to prepare a “super autumn” recipe from New York chef Frank Decarlo. DeCarlo has two fantastic restaurants in Manhattan: Barcaro and Peasant. GREAT FOOD!!! http://peasantnyc.com/

I prepared pumpkin gnocchi with mushrooms and a tasty cream sauce. The essence of autumn in a recipe. The homemade pasta was delicious. A total revelation. I think I will be doing this pasta often this season!

I hope you like it!

Ingredients

Serves 4

1 small sugar pumpkin (1 1/2 to 2 pounds), stem removed, halved lengthwise, and seeded

2 cups "00" flour (high content of gluten), plus more for work surface

Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, plus more for serving

1 1/4 cups freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

2 shallots, finely chopped

20 medium chanterelle mushrooms, trimmed

8 fresh sage leaves

1 cup homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock

1 cup heavy cream

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place pumpkin halves, cut side up, on a baking sheet and fill each with 1 tablespoon water. Cover each half with parchment paper-lined aluminum foil. Transfer to oven and roast until soft, about 45 minutes. Let cool. Scrape pumpkin flesh from skin; discard skin.

Mound flour in center of a large work surface; add 1 tablespoon salt and the nutmeg. Using a fork, mix until well combined. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add 2 cups pumpkin and 1 cup grated cheese to well. Slowly incorporate flour, beginning with inner rim of well. When flour is incorporated, gather dough together to form a rounded mass; knead mixture until smooth, 4 to 5 minutes.

Divide dough into 6 equal pieces. Roll each piece of dough into a cylinder about 1 inch in diameter; cut into 1/2-inch-long pieces. Transfer gnocchi to a baking sheet and cover with a clean, damp towel. Repeat process until all the dough has been used.

Bring 6 quarts water to a boil in a large pot over high heat. Generously salt water and return to a boil. Add gnocchi and cook until they rise to the top, about 4 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over high heat and add butter and shallots. Reduce heat to medium and continue cooking until shallots are golden. Add mushrooms and sage; cook, stirring, for about 10 seconds. Add 1/4 cup pumpkin, chicken stock, heavy cream, and 1/4 cup grated cheese; cook, stirring, about 30 seconds. Season with salt and pepper.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer gnocchi to skillet and toss to combine. Serve immediately with freshly grated parmesan and nutmeg.