1. Preheat oven to 350F. Cut pumpkin in half. Scrape out seeds and place pumpkin cut side up in a roasting pan. Fill pan with hot water to 1-inch. Cover with foil and roast 90 minutes or until tender. Cool.

2. Scoop out pumpkin pulp and press through a ricer, sieve, or hand mash to achieve a smooth consistency. Place in a sieve overnight to drain if pumpkin is overly wet.

3. Place 2½ cups pumpkin puree in a mixing bowl. Add thyme, nutmeg, salt, and pepper and mix well. Add flour, mixing until all the flour is absorbed and a sticky dough is formed.

4. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead dough for about 2 minutes or until the dough comes to a smooth consistency and color, using extra flour as needed. Do not overwork the dough or your gnocchi will be chewy.

5. Divide dough into quarters. Roll each quarter into a ¾ -inch diameter cylinder. Cut the cylinder into ½ -inch pieces. One by one, take each piece and roll off the back of a fork with your thumb to make ribbed gnocchi shapes. (These ridges help hold the sauce.) Dust gnocchi with additional flour, as they will be sticky.

6. Cook gnocchi in boiling water, stirring so they do not stick. Cook 2 minutes or until they float, being careful not to overcook. Drain and place gnocchi in serving dish. Finish with the topping of your choice.