Ciao Chow Linda

Gnocchi with Butternut squash, Mushrooms and crispy sage

Author: Ciao Chow Linda

Ingredients

• FOR THE GNOCCHI:

• 5 large brown-skinned baking potatoes

• 2 large eggs

• 1 t. salt

• 1/4 t. white pepper

• pinch of grated nutmeg

• 1/2 c. parmesan cheese

• 2 cups flour (or more if needed)

• FOR THE ROASTED SQUASH AND MUSHROOMS:

• 1 1/2 cups honeynut or butternut squash

• a handful of mushrooms (cremini, baby portobello or button mushrooms)

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• seasoned salt, pepper to taste

• FOR THE SAUCE:

• 8-12 tablespoons unsalted butter

• a dozen sage leaves

• some water from boiling the gnocchi

• grated parmesan cheese

• FOR THE CRISPY SAGE LEAVES:

• olive oil

• sage leaves

Instructions

1. FOR THE SQUASH AND MUSHROOMS:

2. Cut the squash into small pieces, cut the mushrooms into halves, or quarters if large, and toss with the olive oil and seasonings.

3. Roast in a 475 degree oven for 10 minutes, or until the pieces are tender.

4. FOR THE CRISPY SAGE LEAVES:

5. Place a little olive oil in a shallow saucepan and when it’s hot, add the sage leaves.

6. Fry for a minute or two and flip, removing to a paper lined plate.

7. Sprinkle salt on them immediately and set aside.

8. FOR THE GNOCCHI:

9. Bake the potatoes uncovered in a 375 degree oven for about an hour or until done.

10. Remove from oven and when you can handle them, peel them.

11. Put chunks of the potato through a ricer and spread on a cookie sheet.

12. Let it cool completely, then mix with the eggs, salt, pepper and nutmeg and cheese.

13. Add flour, 1/4 cup at a time.

14. You may not need all 2 cups flour, or you may need more.

15. Just add enough until the dough comes together and you can easily roll it into a big “log.”

16. Cut the log into four or five pieces, then take each piece and roll it out like a snake, about 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch thick.

17. Using a knife, cut off some pieces of the roll, maybe about 1/2″ each.

18. Take each 1/2″ gnocco and make an imprint on it, using either a fork or a gnocchi paddle.

19. At this point, you can refrigerate if not using immediately — even overnight.

20. Bring water to a rolling boil, add salt and the gnocchi and let simmer gently until they rise to the top.

21. The recipe makes about 225 gnocchi so freeze half if you like.

22. If I’m planning to freeze some, I actually cook them all in the water, then drain them on paper towels, place half on a cookie sheet and put those in the freezer. When they have frozen hard, I move them to a plastic bag and keep them in the freezer until I need them.)

23. FOR THE SAUCE AND TO ASSEMBLE:

24. Melt the butter in a saucepan, then add the sage leaves, letting them simmer a few minutes to impart their flavor.

25. Then using a slotted spoon, remove the gnocchi from the water and place them directly into the pan with the melted butter and sage leaves.

26. Don’t worry if a little water comes along when you ladle out the gnocchi, in fact, it’s good to add a little of the water to the sauce.

27. Add the roasted squash and mushroom pieces, and gently stir everything together.

28. Place everything into a serving bowl, sprinkle with parmesan cheese and scatter the crispy sage leaves on top.