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Pumpkin Gnocchi with Lamb and Mushroom Ragu

Pumpkin Gnocchi with Slow-Braised Lamb & Mushroom Ragù

Pumpkin Gnocchi with Slow-Braised Lamb & Mushroom Ragù, served with White Truffle Oil and Rosemary Parmesan Crumb
5 from 3 votes
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 4 hours
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4 People
Calories 869 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

Lamb & Mushroom Ragù

  • 600 gm Boneless Lamb Shoulder (cut into 5cm pieces)
  • 1 medium Brown Onion (finely chopped)
  • 1 medium Carrot (finely chopped)
  • 2 stalks Celery (finely chopped)
  • 200 gm Swiss Brown Mushrooms (finely chopped)
  • 4-5 cloves Garlic crushed
  • 2 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1 sprig Rosemary
  • 4 sprigs Thyme
  • 2 Fresh Bay Leaves
  • 1 cup Red Wine
  • 1 cup Beef Stock
  • 400 gm Tin Diced Tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp Tomato Paste
  • 2 tbsp Brown Sugar
  • 2 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
  • 2-3 large Portobello Mushrooms (sliced)
  • Salt
  • Black Pepper
  • White Truffle Oil (for serving)

Pumpkin Gnocchi

  • 300 gm Desiree Potatoes (scrubbed, unpeeled)
  • 500 gm Butternut Pumpkin (seeded and peeled, cut into 5cm pieces)
  • 3/4 cup 00 Plain Flour
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 pinch Black Pepper
  • 1 pinch Nutmeg
  • 1 Egg (whisked)
  • Plain Flour (extra, to dust)

Rosemary Parmesan Crumb

  • 1 Small Sourdough Loaf (day or 2 old is best, cut into 2-3cm cubes)
  • 1 tbsp Olive Oil (extra virgin)
  • 2 tbsp Rosemary (finely chopped)
  • 1/4 cup Continental Parsley (finely chopped)

Instructions
 

Lamb & Mushroom Ragù

  • Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the lamb in batches and cook, turning occasionally, for 5-7 mins or until well browned. Transfer to a heatproof bowl.
  • Add finely chopped Swiss Brown Mushrooms to the pan. Cook for 5 mins or until tender. Transfer to a bowl.
  • Add onion, carrot, celery and garlic to pan. Cook on low heat, stirring, for 5-10 mins or until onion softens, and just begins turning brown.
  • Add the wine and scrape pan to deglaze. Bring wine to the boil and reduce by half.
  • Return lamb and mushroom to pan.
  • Add Tomato Paste, Diced Tomatoes, Beef Stock, Bay Leaves, Thyme, Rosemary Sprigs and Brown Sugar.
  • Stir and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low.
  • Cover pan and cook on the lowest simmer for 2-3 hours or until lamb is tender and falling apart.
  • Use tongs to transfer lamb to a heatproof bowl. Use 2 forks to coarsely shred.
  • Meanwhile, heat a heavy based frying pan, add butter. When it begins to foam, add sliced Portobello Mushrooms and fry on medium heat for 4-5 mins.
  • Return Lamb to tomato mixture and add Portobello Mushrooms.
  • Add Balsamic Vinegar and stir through.
  • Season with Salt and Pepper to taste.

Pumpkin Gnocchi

  • Preheat oven to 180ºC. Place pumpkin on a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper and bake for 40 minutes or until tender but not golden.
  • Place potatoes in a saucepan of cold water and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for approximately 30 minutes, or until soft when pierced with a skewer.
  • Let the potatoes cool for about 30 minutes. Remove skins by scraping them with a butter knife. Mash until just smooth, then press one-quarter of the potato mash through a ricer or sieve into a bowl. Repeat in 3 more batches.
  • Mash the pumpkin, using the ricer to get a smooth texture, and stir into the potato mash.
  • Add salt, nutmeg and pepper and mix.
  • Add flour and whisked egg. Mix to form a firm, slightly sticky dough. If it's too sticky, add a little more flour, but only a tablespoon at a time.
  • Dust a tray, lined with a clean, dry tea towel, with flour. Cut dough into 4 even portions. Roll each portion on a lightly floured surface to a 2cm-thick log.
  • Use a lightly floured knife to cut logs into 2cm pieces.
  • Gently roll the Gnocchi pieces, over the back of a lightly floured fork. The ridges will help the sauce cling to the gnocchi and give them a traditional finish
  • Bring a saucepan of water to the boil. Add one-quarter of the gnocchi. When they rise to the surface - after about 2-3 minutes - they're ready.
  • Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a baking tray, making sure there's a little cooking water still on the tray. This stops them sticking together.

Rosemary Parmesan Crumb

  • Pre-heat oven to 160ºC.
  • Spread sourdough cubes on a baking tray and bake for 10 minutes (until they are dry and just turning golden on the edges)
  • If not sufficiently dry, continue baking and check every 5 minutes, but avoid burning.
  • Remove from oven, allow to cool slightly, then transfer sourdough cubes to a food processor.
  • Add finely chopped Rosemary.
  • Process bread cubes into breadcrumbs.
  • Place breadcrumbs in a bowl and stir through Parmesan and Olive Oil.
  • Spread mix on a baking try and place back in oven for 10 minutes.
  • Remove from oven, let cool.
  • Place in bowl and stir through fresh parsley just prior to serving.

Serving & Plating

  • Stir the cooked Gnocchi gently through the Lamb & Mushroom Ragù. Be careful not to break up the Gnocchi.
  • Add about 1 1/2 cups of Gnocchi Ragù mixture to each bowl.
  • Drizzle a small amount of White Truffle Oil over the Gnocchi Ragù - don't overdo it, a small amount goes a long way!
  • Sprinkle Rosemary Parmesan Crumb over the dish and serve with a glass of robust red wine.

Nutrition

Calories: 869kcalCarbohydrates: 129gProtein: 44gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 103mgSodium: 1240mgPotassium: 2206mgFiber: 11gSugar: 24gVitamin A: 16626IUVitamin C: 64mgCalcium: 259mgIron: 12mg
Keyword gnocchi, lamb, mushrooms, pumpkin, ragu
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