Welcome back to the Fancy Fork – your seasonal produce insight and farm-style recipes that are made to satisfy.
The holidays have arrived! Laughter of family and friends, comfort foods at their finest and cozy movie nights have marked the evenings. But, that’s not all November brings. This month, you’ll find a variety of hardy vegetables such as carrots, parsnips, sweet potatoes, beetroot, turnips, collard greens, kale, leeks, swiss chard, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, butternut squash and broccoli. And, besides a holiday classic – cranberries – being back in season, you’ll also find blackberries, clementines, grapefruit, oranges, pear, pomegranates, chestnuts, walnuts, kiwi, figs and grapes.
This month’s recipe is focused on all the incredible flavor and health benefits of pumpkin. Packed with vitamins and minerals, pumpkin is also very high in beta-carotene, a carotenoid that your body turns into vitamin A. The vitamins in pumpkin have been known to boost your immune system, promote eye health, may lower risk of cancer and are full of healthy fiber that may benefit heart health.
Pumpkin Gnocchi with Spinach and Sausage
Servings: 4
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. Italian Sausage, ground
- ¼ cup Fresh Sage, chopped
- 16 oz. Potato Gnocchi
- 1 cup Whole Milk
- 1 cup Pumpkin Puree
- 1 cup Chicken Broth
- ½ cup Heavy Cream
- 2-3 cups Baby Spinach
- ½ cup Aged White Cheddar, grated
- Salt & Black Pepper, to taste
- Grated Parmesan, for garnishing
Instructions:
- Roll the ground Italian sausage into 1-2 tablespoon-sized balls. Add to a large skillet over medium high heat to sear 2-3 minutes on each side. If not fully cooked yet, transfer to a baking pan to bake at 350F for 8-10 minutes.
- In the meantime, add the sage and gnocchi to the skillet. Sauté in the sausage oils for 2-3 minutes, until the sage is fragrant.
- Add the whole milk, heavy cream and pumpkin. Stir until smooth, then season to taste with salt and black pepper.
- Let simmer for 6-8 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Add the broth, spinach, grated cheddar and meatballs. Stir to combine. If needed, add more broth to help thin out the sauce, then simmer to desired sauce thickness.
- Enjoy warm with freshly grated parmesan!
