· recipe ·
Gnocchi with Butternut Squash and Italian Sausage
Butternut squash browns best when the cut surfaces have room to lose moisture. Tender cubes with golden edges give a different texture from squash mashed into dough.
Time and servings
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 65 min
- Total
- 95 min
- Servings
- 6
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- about 580
- Protein
- 20 g
- Fat
- 32 g
- Carbs
- 53 g
Cook the potatoes
Choose either boiling or baking. Boiled potatoes make a softer, moister dough; baked potatoes make a drier dough that usually needs less flour. To boil, put the whole unpeeled potatoes in a pot, cover with cold water, and simmer for 25 to 35 minutes, until a thin knife slides easily into the center, then drain them well. To bake, heat the oven to 425°F220°C, scrub and pierce the potatoes, and bake for 60 to 75 minutes, until tender.
Roast the butternut squash
While the potatoes cook, heat the oven to 425°F220°C. Peel and seed the squash, cut it into 3/4 inch2 cm cubes, and toss with the olive oil, pepper, and part of 1/2 tsp3 g of the reserved salt. Roast until browned at the edges and tender, about 25 minutes.
Mash the potatoes
Peel the potatoes while they are warm. Pass them through a potato ricer, or mash them with a potato masher until no lumps remain. Spread the potato out briefly to let the steam escape.
Mix the dough
Add the yolk, 1/2 tsp3 g of the salt, and 1 cup120 g of the flour to the warm potato. Mix gently until no dry flour remains. If the dough is too sticky to roll, add flour a spoonful at a time until it is soft and slightly tacky. You may not need all the flour.
Roll and cut the ropes
Divide the dough into portions. Roll each into a rope about 3/4 inch2 cm thick and cut it into 3/4 inch2 cm pieces, using only enough flour to prevent sticking.
Carpentry Dynasty gnocchi boards15% off with code WOFG15Shop on Amazon →Add the ridges
Roll each piece over a gnocchi board to create beautiful, well-defined ridges that help the sauce cling. A fork can make simple grooves.
Brown the sausage
Remove the sausage casings if needed and crumble the meat into the skillet. Cook over medium heat, breaking it into bite-size pieces, until browned and the center of the largest piece reaches 160°F71°C, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a plate and leave the drippings in the skillet.
Heat the cooking water
Bring about 3 quartsabout 3 liters of water and 2 tsp12 g of the salt to a boil, then lower to a gentle simmer. Make the sauce in the next step while the water heats.
Make the sage and squash sauce
Add the butter and sage to the sausage drippings. Cook over medium heat until the butter smells nutty and the sage is crisp, then fold in the roasted squash and browned sausage. Taste and add the remaining dish salt only if needed.
Poach the gnocchi
Slide the gnocchi into the gently simmering water and stir once so they do not stick to the bottom. Reserve 1/2 cup120 ml cooking water, then lift the gnocchi as they float.
Finish with Parmesan
Transfer the floating gnocchi directly to the skillet. Fold gently so the squash keeps its shape. Add reserved cooking water 1 Tbsp15 ml at a time only if the butter and pan juices need loosening. Finely grate the Parmesan over the gnocchi and serve.
