Difficulty Level: Moderate
Prep Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Serving Size: 2-4 servings
Ingredients:
18 oz. butternut squash, cubed
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
3/4 cup ‘00’ flour
3/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated
2 egg yolks
1/4 tsp. salt
6 tbsp. unsalted butter
10 sage leaves
2 tbsp. crushed hazelnuts
Balsamic glaze
Salt & pepper to taste
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°F. Place the butternut squash cubes on a 9 x 13 in. baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 40 minutes.
When the butternut squash has finished roasting, add to a blender and blend until smooth. If you’re having difficulty blending, add a little bit of water to help loosen the mixture.
Add the butternut squash purée to a pan over medium heat to absorb the excess liquids, stirring until the purée thickens in texture. Place in a bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes to let cool.
Add the butternut squash purée, egg yolks, flour, Parmigiano and salt to a mixing bowl. Use hands to mix well.
Divide the dough into 4-5 sections and roll out each section into long ropes (about 3/4 in. wide). If the dough is sticky, sprinkle some more flour on top as you roll it out. Cut the ropes into tiny pillows with a bench scraper to form the gnocchi.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add plenty of salt. Cook the gnocchi until they float to the top, about 2-3 minutes.
In a sauté pan over medium heat, melt 4 tbsp. butter until it begins to bubble and turn caramel brown in color, stirring frequently. Be careful not to burn! Add the sage leaves to the brown butter and fry until they are nice and crispy. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.
Strain the gnocchi and add to a separate nonstick pan with 2 tbsp. butter. Toast the gnocchi until golden brown in color.
Plate the gnocchi and top with the brown butter sage sauce, crushed hazelnut and balsamic glaze.
Tip: Make sure to get as much liquid out of the butternut squash purée as you can. The more liquid in the purée, the more flour that will be absorbed when making the gnocchi, which will make the gnocchi more dense.