Baked Gnocchi with Pumpkin and Ricotta

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An oh-so-comforting winter dish that is bound to be a family-favourite. Baked Gnocchi with roasted pumpkin, spinach and ricotta. Doesn’t look like much, but what it lacks in appearance, it more than makes up for in wholesome, warming deliciousness.

 

Ingredients (serves 4)

  • 1/4 piece of medium-sized Jap pumpkin (600g), peeled and cut into 2cm cubes
  • 2 tsp fresh or dried thyme
  • 500g good quality gnocchi
  • 400g baby spinach
  • 1 brown onion, diced
  • 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 fresh red chilli, finely chopped
  • 500ml Tomato Passata
  • 120g kalamata olives, halved
  • 200g fresh Ricotta
  • 100g fresh mozzarella

Method

  • Preheat oven to 200c
  • Toss the cut pumpkin in plenty of olive oil, and sprinkle with thyme leaves
  • Tip into a lined roasting dish and roast for 15 – 20 mins, until just cooked, but still on the firm side (it will cook further when baked with the gnocchi)
  • While the pumpkin is roasting, wash and drain the spinach, then place in a dry saucepan. Cover with a lid, then cook over medium heat until the spinach has wilted (about 5mins). Tip into a colander, and allow to cool. Once cool enough, squeeze out excess liquid and drain further on paper towel. Set aside
  • In another saucepan, cook onion, garlic and chilli in olive oil until softened. Pour in passata and allow to reduce slightly before removing from the heat
  • Cook gnocchi as per packet instructions, then drain and add to the passata.
  • When the pumpkin has finished cooking, add this to the pot with the gnocchi, and also add the olives and spinach. Toss to combine all the ingredients evenly
  • Tip half this mix into a large, deep baking dish, then scatter with a layer of torn Mozarella. Pour the other half on top of this and then top this with a little more Mozarella, and spoonfuls or the ricotta
  • Bake in the oven (still at 200c), for about 15mins, or until bubbling and the cheese on top has gone slightly golden