Ok, so let’s just start by talking about how cute these pumpkin shaped gnocchi are. Adorable, right? Well, I was making a batch of my pumpkin ricotta gnocchi a few days ago and was also researching pumpkin shaped dinner rolls… one thing lead to another and I was overwhelmed by a strong urge to shape my gnocchi into teeny little pumpkins…
If you are wondering if shaping your gnocchi into little pumpkins is unnecessary, of course it is! It is completely unnecessary, but they are so adorable and believe it or not, shaping them this way is actually pretty simple. Can you imagine handing a plate of pumpkin shaped pumpkin gnocchi to your friend on a crisp fall evening? They will love you forever!
Let’s get started…
Begin by making a batch of pumpkin ricotta gnocchi dough. Here is a link to my recipe, which is very simple and straightforward…
Pumpkin Ricotta Gnocchi
Once your gnocchi dough is ready to go, slice it into one inch portions and roll it into a smooth, round ball like in the photo above. If you have a crack or opening in the dough, simply pinch the dough together and re-roll your ball.
Use kitchen twine to create the little pumpkin curves. Gently press the twine over the little balls of dough in four different positions. I like to start with an X (one line working north to south and another line working east to west) and then follow with two additional diagonal lines equally dividing the ball into a tiny little pumpkin.
Transfer the gnocchi onto a floured board and continue shaping until all of your dough is formed into adorable little pumpkins.
If you just want a few pumpkins, shape the remaining dough as you would traditional gnocchi…
Cook your pumpkin shaped gnocchi as you would any other gnocchi and as soon as those adorable pillows of delicious goodness start to float, transfer them into the sauce of your choice.
As soon as they are nice and saucy, transfer them onto a plate, sprinkle some parmesan and freshly cracked black pepper over those gorgeous little gourds and enjoy.
Aren’t they fabulous? These tender little pillows of pumpkiny goodness are a beautiful bright orange color and so cutely shaped! They just scream fall in so many ways and you and anyone lucky enough to be with you are going to love everything about them.
Happy pumpkin season friends!
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