Squash Gnocchi

For the gnocchi:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Cut the squash in half, scoop out seeds. Using 1 tablespoon of butter, divide it amongst all of the squash halves by putting a tab of it into the center of each of the squash halves. Set the squash on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and place the sheet in the preheated oven. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until squash is tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 6 hours or overnight.

In a small sauce pan, heat the remaining butter over medium heat. Add minced garlic and chopped fresh sage, cook until golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Place on a paper towel to drain excess oil. Set aside until ready to use.

Preparing the gnocchi:

Peel and puree the acorn squash… Once peeled, place the squash flesh into a food processor, add the sautéed sage and garlic, and process well. Add the eggs, salt and pepper, and process well. Place the mixture into a bowl. Add the flour, a little at a time, stirring to combine all the ingredients. The dough should be soft but not sticky. If sticky add an additional tablespoon of flour, one at a time until a soft consistency is reached.

Transfer dough to a work surface and knead briefly until smooth. Keep your work surface, tools, hands and dough lightly floured as you work. Cut the dough into eighths. Roll 1 portion of dough into a ½ inch thick rope and sprinkle lightly with flour. Using a knife, cut the rope into 1/2 inch pieces. Lay the pieces on a lightly floured parchment-lined baking tray. Finish making the remaining gnocchi with the remaining dough sections.

If you don’t want to use it all right now, you can freeze any remaining gnocchi in layers on a wax or parchment-lined freezer tray. Gnocchi may be frozen for a month. If you do this, cook it straight from the freezer—do not thaw. I cooked enough gnocchi for two servings as a main course, about 20 pieces, then froze the remaining gnocchi.

In a large pot of boiling salted water, preparing the gnocchi in 2 batches, cook the gnocchi for 15 to 17 minutes or until gnocchi floats to the surface.

Drain the cooked gnocchi and add them to a sauté pan with your favorite sauce. I used ½ cup of my candied walnut pesto, for two servings. Toss gently to coat. Serve warm and top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.