Acorn Squash Gnocchi with Basil Pesto
The use of acorn squash versus potato is a delicious spin on an Italian classic making this a wonderful option for a fall or winter time dinner dish.
Ingredients
- 1 medium sized acorn squash just shy of 1 lb.
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup all purpose flour plus 1 tablespoon for the rolling and cutting gnocchi
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons prepared basil pesto see notes below
Instructions
Roast Squash for Gnocchi
- Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil. Cut acorn squash in half, on the vertical, and scoop out seeds. Drizzle olive oil onto the flesh side and season with salt and pepper. Place on baking sheet, flesh side down, and roast about 30-40 minutes, until squash is fork tender. Allow to cool at least 10 minutes before scooping out flesh into a bowl.
Preparing Gnocchi Dough
- To prep the dough, bring a large pot of water to a low boil, season with salt like you would to cook pasta. In the bowl of roasted squash, stir together with flour until smooth. The dough should feel about as pliable as pizza dough, meaning it should still hold together but doesn’t feel dry. If the dough is too wet, add a little more flour (about a tablespoon at a time) until you get to that desired consistency. This will help in the rollout of dough.
- Roll and cut dough: Working in batches, scoop up a loose handful of dough and roll out onto a lightly floured work surface. Roll the dough into the shape of a log, about ¾ inch wide. Using a sharp knife, slice into 1 inch pieces and place on parchment. Repeat with the remaining chunks of dough until all gnocchi is cut.
Cooking Gnocchi
- Working in two or three batches (depending on number of gnocchi), add gnocchi to the large pot of boiling water and allow to cook 2-3 minutes until the gnocchi floats to the top. Using a spider strainer (or slotted spoon), remove gnocchi and allow to drain on a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Repeat until all gnocchi are cooked.
- Toss gnocchi together with a couple of tablespoons of basil pesto, using a little gnocchi water to thin out sauce as needed and grate a generous amount of parmigiano-reggiano. Enjoy immediately.
Notes
Pesto recipes to use for the gnocchi include: spinach and arugula pesto, zucchini and basil pesto, or you can also use your favorite prepared pesto from the local market or grocery store. I keep cubes of pesto in the freezer and will defrost them in the refrigerator the night before before tossing them with the gnocchi.
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