Gnocchi is the ultimate comfort food, it's great on the pocket and fun to make, Alison Lambert writes.
Buttercup squash gnocchi
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
1kg buttercup or pumpkin, peeled, deseeded and cut into 3cm-square pieces
1 whole egg
150g plain white flour
a little freshly grated nutmeg
60g freshly grated parmesan
salt and freshly grated pepper
Rosemary brown butter
60g butter
1 Tbsp rosemary leaves
sea salt flakes
cracked black pepper
To serve
50g Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Method
Steam the squash/pumpkin until tender (5-8 minutes). You want it cooked but not holding excess moisture.
In a large bowl, mouli or pass the cooked squash into a large bowl. Add the egg, nutmeg 2/3 of the flour. Season well with salt and pepper and plenty of freshly grated nutmeg.
Mix to combine. If the dough is too sticky, add a little more flour until the dough is soft yet workable.
Place a large pot of salted water to the boil.
To mould the gnocchi, scatter a little flour over your work bench. Take a little dough and roll into a sausage shape about 2cm thick. Cut the dough into 2cm slices.
Sprinkle over extra flour and roll each piece of gnocchi in the flour to prevent sticking.
When the water has come to a rolling boil. Add the gnocchi in batches so that you don't over load the pot. When the gnocchi have risen to the surface, it is ready to eat. Scoop out with a sieve and drain. Repeat with remaining mixture.
Heat the butter in a pan, add the rosemary and fry until the butter becomes a light golden nutty brown. Add the gnocchi and toss through. Grate over the nutmeg, season with salt and cracked pepper and serve with plenty of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
NB If you are wanting to eat the gnocchi at a later stage, or even freeze it, I always pre-cook it lightly first, drain and cool. Reheat in boiling water for a minute and serve.
- Alison Lambert is one of the demonstrators at the Otago Farmers Market in Dunedin on Saturday mornings.
tasteofmylife.com
