Butternut Squash and Yam Gnocchi in Sage Brown Butter by Rachel

Hey guys!  I'm back!  It's been a while since I updated the blog, but I've been busy getting things ready for my wedding (I'm getting married in Thailand)!  Now that most of those things are finally settled, here I am!

This recipe was really born out of my needing to use up ingredients around my kitchen, but sometimes the best things happen when you're least expecting it!  Butternut squash is clearly a star ingredient when it comes to making fall favorites, so hopefully this recipe will become a favorite of yours.

Ingredients
1 small butternut squash
1 large yam
1 egg
scant 2 cups of flour
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp of nutmeg
olive oil for roasting

3 tbsp unsalted butter
4-5 leaves of fresh sage, diced finely
salt and pepper for taste
parmesan cheese to finish




- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

- Peel the butternut squash, then slice the squash in half and remove the seeds.  Slice the halves through once more so that you length-wise quarters.  Place then on foil in a baking sheet and oil both sides of the squash.

- Peel the large yam and half it.  Also cover both sides with olive oil.  Place on the pan with the squash and put in the oven to roast for 30 minutes or until both the squash and the yam are easily pierced with a fork and very little force.

- Remove the veggies from the heat and allow them to cool for about 15 minutes.  Then, mash them up as finely as possible.  If you have a potato ricer, this will work best.

Hulk Smash! :)

- Add the flour into the veggie mash in increments using about 1/3 a cup at a time.  Once you've incorporated one cup of the flour, add in the egg and the salt.  Keep kneading until you have incorporated all the flour.  If the dough is still very sticky, add flour in tbsp increments.  You want the dough to still stick together so don't add too much more.

- Divide the dough into 8 equal parts- this makes it much easier to manage.  Roll the dough into a snake like shape, as evenly as possible.  It should be about 1/2 in diameter.  Cut equal pieces about the width of your thumb from the start of the dough to the end.  Repeat until you have used up all the dough.

- Place on a lightly floured, parchment paper lined baking sheet and taking the ends of a fork, gently press it into the center of the gnocchi to form the ridges.  Refrigerate your adorable gnocchis for at least 1 hour (but no more than 4 hours) covered with plastic wrap.

My precious little gnocchis!

- Using a medium sized pot, fill it half way with water and bring the water to a roaring boil.  Put about 20-25 gnocchi in at a time to boil.  They should boil for about 10 minutes- when they are done, they will float.  Make sure to give then the full 10 minutes to ensure that they are cooked all the way through.  Remove them from the water when they are done.

- In a separate sauce pan, heat the butter until it has just completely melted and started to form a slight foam, then add the sage.  Allow the butter to cook until you start to see a light film of brown form and it starts to smell a bit nutty.

- Now's the time to add the gnocchi!  Throw those puppies in there and here them sizzle!  Let them cook up until you start to see a few of them browning.  Add in about 2 healthy pinches of salt and a couple turns of pepper.  Make sure to coat all the gnocchi with the brown butter sauce.

- Remove from the heat and plate.  Add parmesan cheese to finish.

Dig in already!

This recipe made plenty of gnocchi for me and my fiance, plus enough for me to have lunch tomorrow.  They're really tasty with a little sweetness.  Enjoy!