Here, Nick Risidi, of Amici Ristorante in East Parade, Keighley, revisits his Italian roots for another taste of the Mediterranean

ITALY is one of those countries that has something different to offer depending on which season you visit.

When we think of Italy our minds usually travel to sunbathing on hot sunny beaches or skiing down cold snowy mountains, but Italy has a lot to offer in between, with beautiful springs and even more gorgeous autumns.

As summer turns into autumn the most noticeable thing (after the dip in temperature, perhaps) is the way the leaves on the trees turn colour. The greens start to fade, in favour of stunning yellows and oranges.

Tuscany in particular is a fantastic place for checking out the fall foliage, with the tree-lined roads turning into something completely different by the time the season changes. Another thing that moves with the seasons in Italy is the cuisine. Not only can you expect different local specialities as you move around the country but you can expect different dishes with different ingredients depending on what is currently in season. For example, autumn is the best time to harvest mushrooms. Similarly, September is the perfect time to pick figs in the south of Italy whereas in October it is time to move on to chestnuts which, when roasted, are a popular street food in Italy during the autumn – just like in the UK.

However, the ultimate star of the show in autumn, without a doubt, has to be the pumpkin. Pumpkins are a huge part of autumnal traditions in the US, where they have a starring role in holidays like Halloween and Thanksgiving. Pumpkins are not only used for decorative purposes but they are also used in food and drinks – in fact, people all over the globe go crazy for pumpkin spice everything around this time of year.

Pumpkin is also a popular ingredient in Italy. With pumpkin being such a versatile ingredient – and now being the best time of year to eat them – Italians use pumpkin in a variety of dishes from soups to breads. Sometimes pumpkins can be roasted or pureed to accompany dishes, or they can be used as an ingredient in desserts.

Several types of indigenous pumpkin can be found in Italy and their use dates way back in time. It was a popular ingredient, but Italians also found another use for them – hollowing them out and using their strong outer body to carry water or even wine. So while you’re hollowing out a pumpkin to fill with whatever you fancy, why not put the pumpkin flesh to good use with my recipe – pumpkin gnocchi.

 

PUMPKIN GNOCCHI

Ingredients:

400g pumpkin flesh

120g ricotta

50g grated Parmesan

200g plain flour

1 egg

60g butter

1 tsp oil

20 sage leaves

Method:

1. To prepare your pumpkin, peel, remove the seeds and chop the flesh into cubes roughly 2-3cm in size. Place the pumpkin chunks into a colander and set over a pan of simmering water. Steam the pumpkin until it is soft and tender which should take about 20 minutes.

2. Use a potato masher to mash the pumpkin into a smooth paste-like mixture. Spread the pumpkin mix out over some kitchen paper and pat dry to remove as much of the moisture as possible.

3. In a bowl (or a food processor if you have one) combine the pumpkin mixture with the ricotta cheese, 50g grated parmesan, 1 egg, ¼ tsp salt and some black pepper. Mix well before adding the flour to form a soft dough. Mix with a wooden spoon to try to avoid over-mixing.

4. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and divide into 4 pieces. Roll each piece until a log shape is formed, roughly 1.5cm wide. Cut each log unto 2cm pieces – cover your knife with a little flour to avoid sticking. For that distinctive gnocchi appearance mark each piece with the back of a fork to create ridges.

5. To cook the gnocchi, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add half the gnocchi and cook for 1-2 minutes, until they rise to the surface. Remove from the water with a slotted spoon before doing the same with the remaining gnocchi.

6. Take a large frying pan and heat 15g butter. Add half the gnocchi to the pan and fry for 2 minutes or until they start to brown. Add another 15g butter and once it has melted add half the sage leaves. Repeat the process for the rest of the gnocchi and sage.

7. To serve, divide the mixture between serving plates and finish off with a sprinkle of parmesan and some black pepper.