Butternut Squash Gnocchi
Making gnocchi, much like making pasta by hand, is a labor of love. It is one of my go-to ways to decompress and take a moment for myself while working with my hands—the repetitive motions are almost meditative! It is perfect for reflecting back on the theme of winter: rest and recharge. It also just so happens to create a delicious result.
Yields8 cups (1.2 kg)
Ingredients
- 1 (3-lb [1.4-kg]) butternut squash
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground sage
- 1/2 cup (50 g) finely grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg, whisked
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
INSTRUCTIONS
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Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
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Slice off the stem end of the butternut squash, then cut the squash in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Place the squash halves, cut side up, on a parchment-lined baking sheet, then brush them with the olive oil. Roast for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the thickest part of the squash can be easily pierced by a fork.
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Remove them from the oven, let cool, then scoop out the flesh of the squash and place it in a food processor, along with the nutmeg and sage. Process until smooth.
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Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and add the Parmesan, egg, and salt. Gradually add the flour, 1 cup (125 g) at a time. Knead it gently into the squash mixture until the dough holds together and is almost smooth. The less flour you can use, the better! If the dough is very sticky, add more flour, but as soon as you can handle it without it being overly sticky, stop adding flour!
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Transfer the dough to a floured surface and continue to knead gently until it’s smooth, about 5 minutes. Divide the dough into workable pieces (I like eight equal-sized portions). Cover each to keep them hydrated until use.
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Roll out the dough into ½-inch (1.3-cm)-thick logs and then cut them into 1-inch (2.5-cm) lengths for the gnocchi puffs. If you’d like the gnocchi to look a little more traditional, you can roll each piece down the back of a fork to create ridges—this is pretty but not necessary! Transfer them to parchment-lined baking sheets and let the gnocchi chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
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At this point, you have two options. The first: Freeze them! Gnocchi can be easily frozen; freeze overnight on their baking sheets, then transfer to your airtight containers of choice and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. The second is to cook your gnocchi. To cook, add 1 cup (200 g) of gnocchi at a time to a large pot of boiling, salted water and cook for 2 to 3 minutes at a time, or until the gnocchi float. Scoop them out and repeat!
Credit Line:
Reprinted with permission from Cooking Mindfully by Kait Welch. Page Street Publishing Co. 2024. Photo credit: Becky Duffyhill.
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