Making pumpkin gnocchi is simple and has a big payoff. Sophisticated and delicious, pumpkin gnocchi are the perfect appetizer, main course or side dish to a fall meal. The gnocchi can be made several days ahead of serving and can also be made pareve as a terrific side dish for poultry.

3 large Idaho potatoes

3 egg yolks

½ cup pumpkin puree

¼ cup of parmesan cheese (optional if you are not making the gnocchi dairy)

Salt and pepper as needed

¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

2 cups of flour

1. Preheat oven to 350. Prick potatoes with a fork and bake until very soft (about 1- 1 ½ hours). Remove and cool slightly, the hotter and flakier the potato, the lighter the gnocchi.
2. Scoop out the potato flesh and pass through a potato ricer.
3. Beat the egg yolks with the pumpkin, salt, pepper and nutmeg.
4. Place the potato, cheese (if using) and 1 cup of the flour on a work surface and form a well in the center, just as you would to make pasta.
5. Pour the egg into the center of the well. Start working the egg into the potato mixture with your fingertips to form dough. Add more flour if necessary. Try not to over work the dough as it will make the gnocchi tough. Use flour to keep the dough from sticking to your hands and table.
6. Lightly knead the mixture; the dough should not be kneaded for more than 5 minutes.
7. Separate the dough into 8 pieces. Roll the pieces between floured hands to form long strands (about 12 inches long and 1 inch thick). Using a knife or dough cutter, cut the dough into 1 inch pieces.
8. Dip a fork into flour. Gently flick gnocchi off the concave side of the fork (this forms grooves for the sauce to cling to). Continue until all the gnocchi have been cut and grooved.
9. The gnocchi can, at this point, be frozen. Lay the gnocchi on a floured sheet pan and freeze for several hours. Gather them together and place in a zip-loc bag in the freezer.
10. Place a large pot of water over high heat and bring to a rolling boil.
11. Salt the water. Boil the gnocchi until they float to the top (about 3 minutes).
12. Remove from the water and immediately shock (stop the cooking process) the gnocchi by placing them in a bowl filled with ice water. Remove from the ice water and place on a sheet pan.
13. Lightly coat the pan with olive oil or butter.
14. Add the boiled gnocchi and brown on 1 side before turning (about 2 minutes). Brown the other side. Add chopped fresh sage, mushrooms, and toasted pumpkin seeds.

For Brown Butter Sauce

4 ounce unsalted butter

Place the butter in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Heat the butter until the butter has turned golden brown and smells very nutty. The butter will go through a foamy process as the milk solids cook. Keep your eye on the butter as it will go from perfect to burned very quickly.

Pour the brown butter over the Pumpkin Gnocchi, sprinkle with toasted pumpkin seeds and fresh sage.