Roasted and Spiced Carrot Gnocchi

Roasted and Spiced Carrot Gnocchi

Is there a limit to how much one person can make and then blog about gnocchi? If there is, I'm sure I've hit that mark a long time ago. I'm sorry, one last post about it and then I'll put my obsession to rest. At least until next winter. Deal?

Toasting Cumin Seeds

This time I did something a little different.  Instead of using potatoes as the base of the gnocchi dough, I used pureed roasted carrots.  With the addition of flour, (remember when we talked about the role of flour in gnocchi? Same rules apply.) toasted and crushed cumin seeds, cinnamon and just a teensy bit of tomato paste to help preserve the beautifully bright fiery orange color, these aren't your average gnocchi.  To serve them, I blistered up the sides a bit in a hot skillet with a healthy drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and finished with a little squeeze of fresh lime juice.

Roasted Carrot Puree

For the final result, I topped the roasted carrot gnocchi with some bright, toasted pistachios.  I want to pause for just a moment and talk about how underrated and under appreciated pistachios are. They have such an earthy sweetness about them and their flavor is so neutral that they work well in all sorts of dishes; spicy, sweet, earthy and rustic, ethnic or domestic favorites and specialties.  And the color! Oh the color. That bright green that perks up even more after a good toasting, it's a great option for many recipes.  I particularly liked how the pistachios worked in this dish because not only did they provide a nice little crunching "pop", I loved the contrast of green against the bright orange of the carrots.

Fresh Roasted and Spiced Carrot Gnocchi

Roasted and Spiced Carrot Gnocchi


- 7-8 large carrots, washed and peeled
- Extra Virgin Olive oil for drizzling and for pan frying
- 1 egg
- 1 TBS cumin seeds, toasted and ground
- A pinch cinnamon
- 2 tsp tomato paste
- About 1 cup flour (this will vary, use this recipe as a guide), plus more for rolling
- 1/2 cup shelled pistachios, toasted
- A couple drops fresh lime juice
- Salt and Pepper to taste

Start by cutting the carrots into even sized sticks.  Drizzle them in olive oil and a little salt and pepper.  Roast in a 375 degree oven until they are cooked all the way through and starting to brown a little on each side.  While still warm, puree with a hand blender until carrots are an even texture.  Season with toasted and ground cumin seeds and cinnamon. Add tomato paste and adjust salt and pepper seasoning to taste.  Mixture should be a little heavier seasoned because other ingredients will still be added.  Add egg, mix thoroughly and gradually add the flour until the dough just comes together and doesn't stick to your hand when you press into it.  Gently roll out the dough into long snakes and cut them into bite sized pieces and lay them onto a floured surface.  Repeat with the rest of the dough.

In a large pot, boil salted water. Add gnocchi and carefully give it a stir. Once the gnocchi float, take them out of the pot and drizzle with some olive oil to avoid sticking.  Meanwhile, heat a skillet until very hot and add the olive oiled gnocchi to the pan. Quick fry it until the edges start to blister.  Toss with lime juice, top with pistachios and serve immediately.