It is said that, in the 17th century, the chef to the Duke of Mantua, Bartolomeo Stefani, made delicious gnocchi that were not stringy using the local pumpkins. The chef, of Bolognese origin, was also the author of The Art of Good Cooking, published in Mantua in 1662. Tradition holds that these gnocchi, made with simple ingredients, were offered to pilgrims at major abbeys and monasteries during feasts.
Ingredients for 4 portions
1kg yellow Mantuan pumpkin
nutmeg
1kg white flour
tomato sauce
1 egg, milk
50g grated Grana Padano or Parmesan cheese
salt
Method
Boil the pumpkin (ideally it should have quite floury flesh) in pieces in plenty of salted water, leaving the skin on. When the flesh is very soft, strain all the water off. Remove the skin and knead into a dough using the flour, cheese, a touch of nutmeg, the egg and salt. If necessary, you can soften the dough a little with milk. Prepare the gnocchi using a tablespoon and then cook in boiling salted water. A soon as they rise to the surface, remove and garnish with butter and sage, or tomato sauce.