Halloween night has just passed; we remember it in the kitchen, with this recipe from Chef Giuseppe Mulargia of Le Spighe Restaurant at theFH55 Grand Hotel Palatino in Rome. We pair it with Friuli Colli Orientali Friulano 12 Viti 2022 La Sclusa.
This recipe brings to the table the sweet and enveloping taste of pumpkin (a symbol of Halloween), combined with the richness of creamy pecorino cheese and the strong character of the porcin mushroomsi. Whether it’s dinner with friends or lunch with family, Chef Mulargia’s pumpkin gnocchi, winner of the prestigious “Cucina Italiana per Roma Capitale” award, will turn every bite into a unique experience.
Ingredients for 4 persons:
For the pumpkin gnocchi:
300 g Delica Mantovana pumpkin, 100 g red potatoes, 1 small egg, 150 g 00 flour, 15 g grated Grana Padano cheese, Nutmeg to taste, Fine salt to taste.
For the pumpkin cream:
100 g cooked pumpkin, Olive oil to taste, Salt to taste.
For the pecorino cream:
50 g Black Crust Pecorino cheese, 50 ml semi-skimmed milk, 50 ml fresh cream
Fresh porcini mushrooms to taste
Procedure:
Preparation of pumpkin gnocchi:
Take the pumpkin, the quintessential symbol of Halloween, and cut it in half, removing seeds and filaments. Season it with rosemary, bay leaf, thyme, salt and pepper, then bake it at 180°C for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the potatoes in salted water, drain and let them cool. Peel and mash them.
Mash the cooked pumpkin and combine it with the potatoes, adding flour, egg, Grana Padano cheese, nutmeg and salt. Knead until smooth and let it rest for one hour.
Form strings from the dough and cut them into small pieces to create gnocchi.
Creamed pumpkin: Blend cooked pumpkin with a drizzle of oil and salt until smooth.
Pecorino cream: Emulsify pecorino cheese with milk and cream, stirring until a velvety cream is obtained.
Porcini mushrooms: Clean the porcini mushrooms and cut them into slices. Cook them in a pan with oil and a clove of garlic, then set aside.
When ready, cook the gnocchi in boiling salted water, draining them as soon as they come to the surface, and toss them with the pumpkin cream.
Dish composition:
Arrange the pecorino cream on the plate, lay the gnocchi on top, and top with the porcini slices.
Wine pairing:
(Edited by Stefania Vinciguerra)
Friuli Colli Orientali Friulano 12 Viti 2022 La Sclusa
Straw yellow with green highlights. Sweet and elegant aromas, with hints of rue and sage. Expands elegantly in the mouth; complex, broad, harmonious and with a very long finish.
Production area: 12 ancient vineyards on the hills of Spessa in the Colli Orientali del Friuli, from the typical “ponca” soil, a mixture of marl and sandstone stratified over millennia. A soil rich in salts and microelements.
Varietal: 100% Friulano, mass selection of old vines. Production processes: Temperature-controlled vinification and aging in steel.
Serving temperature: 10-12° C.
Recommended pairings: Regional and national dishes: prosciutto di San Daniele, soups, risottos and omelettes made with asparagus and spring herbs, shellfish.
