In this special weekly feature, “Today” food editor Phil Lempert brings you recipes “stolen” (with permission) from notable restaurants across America. See how much money you can save — and fun you can have — by cooking these dishes at home!

This week: Gnocchi di Zucca, from Trattorio Dopo Teatro, in New York City

It’s a wonderful time of year to be in New York City. The air is crisply refreshing, the leaves are turning and the city is looking forward to Halloween (including the usual outrageous parade in Greenwich Village).

If you’re thinking about being in town for Halloween, how about this celebration: tickets to the hit Broadway musical “Wicked” and dinner at Trattorio Dopo Teatro, where Chef Roberto Lamorte will be preparing a very special Halloween menu (costumes optional)? Included is our Steal This Recipe dish, Gnocchi di Zucca (pumpkin gnocchi in butter and sage sauce). 

About the chef:
Chef Lamorte’s appreciation for the simple pleasures of the Italian table was formed in his family’s kitchen, where his parents cooked dishes from their home regions. 

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Deciding on a culinary career, he headed to Tuscany’s Culinary Institute, from which he graduated in 1994. Then it was off to join the kitchen ranks of the Italian Navy, cooking for officers. He further polished his skills at the stove and in the pastry kitchen at Excelsior Palace Hotel in Liguria and at the Michelin-starred Hotel Eden in Rome. While in Rome, he was offered a position at New York’s Osteria del Circo, where he worked for two years.

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From there it was off to another noted Manhattan restaurant, Da Silvano, where owner Silvano Marchetto took Lamorte under his wing and soon made him executive chef. In this position, he landed a 3-star review from the New York Observer while also catering parties for bold-faced names such as Martin Scorscee, Harvey Keitel and Oscar de la Renta.

Recently, Lamorte moved on to Midtown’s Trattoria Dopo Teatro, where he is introducing new Tuscan dishes to the eatery’s regional Italian menu.

(PLEASE NOTE: Ingredient prices are estimates and based on national averages. Amounts listed are for one portion. Increase proportionately according to number of portions desired.)

Giovanna Godard

Gnocchi di Zucca
(Served as part of a Halloween dinner that includes pumpkin soup, Halloween Insalata, and pumpkin pie for dessert: $35. Cook at home cost for the gnocchi is $2.06.)

16 ounces fresh pumpkin ($0.95)
1 teaspoon salt ($0.01)
1 teaspoon fresh garlic, crushed ($0.10)
1 teaspoon olive oil ($0.09)
3-1/2 cups flour ($0.35)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper ($0.01)
1 teaspoon salt ($0.01)
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese ($0.34)
1 sage leaf, chopped ($0.05)
1 tablespoon butter ($0.08)
1 tablespoon shaved parmesan cheese ($0.07)

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Cut the pumpkin into small pieces (skin still on) and place onto a baking sheet, top with salt, garlic and olive oil. Bake the pumpkin in a 450F degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes. After the pumpkin has cooled, remove the skin, then process them into a puree. Mix the pumpkin with the flour, salt, parmesan cheese and black pepper. Next, knead the mixture into a workable dough. Dust with flour if necessary. Use your hands to form the dough into a marble-sized ball, then shape gnocchi by pressing down on one side with the tines of a fork.

Place the shaped dough into a pot of salted, boiling water. The gnocchi is finished cooking when it comes to the surface. To complete the dish, sauté the gnocchi with the remaining butter and sage; then top with shaved parmesan.

Trattoria Dopo Teatro
144 West 44th Street
New York, NY 10036
212-869 2849
www.dopoteatro.com

Want to find out how you can make your favorite restaurant dish at home? Just e-mail Phil at Phil.Lempert@nbc.com (or use the mail box below) with the name of the restaurant, city and state, and the dish you would like to have re-created. Want to know more about Phil and food? Visit his Web site at www.supermarketguru.com.

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