Pumpkin Gnocchi with Crispy Bacon and Flaked Grana Padano

By: Chef Donato Cofano

Step 1

Bake the pumpkin with the shallots until completely roasted. Remove the shallots, mash the pumpkin well, and place in a large bowl

Step 2

Add flour, egg whites and 100g of grated Grana Padano to the mashed pumpkin and mix by hand until a dough is formed and knead for a few minutes

Step 3

Cut the dough into smaller pieces, roll each piece into a cylinder, and cut each cylinder into 1 inch size pieces.

Step 4

Cut the pancetta into small pieces and shallow fry it with a drizzle of EVO until completely cooked. Add 8 sage leaves a few minutes before it’s ready. Set pan aside.

Step 5

In a saucepan, at low to medium heat mix milk and rest of the grated grana Padano until a cream like texture is formed. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Step 6

Place the gnocchi into boiling salted water. When they rise, remove from the pot, and place into the pan where the pancetta was cooked

Step 7

Mix cooked pancetta with gnocchi until all pieces are coated with pancetta and sage flavour

Step 8

Serve in a plate and add a few spoons of the Grana Padano cream into each plate.

Step 9

Finish off with shaved Grana Padano PDO and garnish with the remaining sage leaves cut into smaller pieces.