The Good, the Bad, and the Irresistibly Delicious: Butternut Squash Gnocchi with Sage Sauce

Gnocchi has been a longstanding family tradition. This particular combination of butternut squash, sage, and nutmeg, will leave your taste buds craving more!

Squash, after roasting.

Ingredients for the Gnocchi:
1 Small-Medium butternut squash
1 Large Russet potato
1 Egg
1/2 t Salt
Nutmeg, as desired
Flour

Ingredients for the Sauce:
2-3 Sprigs fresh sage
2 T Butter
2 T Olive oil
Nutmeg, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 425 F. Cut the squash in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, and place face down on a baking dish in 1-1 1/2'' water. Place the squash in the oven and roast for 20-30 minutes, until the skin is browned and a fork easily slides into the flesh. Remove from the oven and let cool.

Meanwhile, wash the potato and boil it whole in a small pot of salted water. Do not cut the potato, otherwise it become water-logged and the gnocchi will not be light and fluffy. It is done when a fork goes in easily.

Drain the potato and peel after it is cooled and is easy to handle. Do the same for the squash, making sure to discard all skin. Push the potato and squash through a ricer into a large bowl. If you don't have a ricer, you can also use a regular potato masher, but the dough won't hvae the same amount of lightness. Cover the vegetables with a towel and set aside to cool.

Once the vegetables are no longer steaming, and add the egg to the bowl. Sprinkle in the 1/2 t salt, and add a sprinkle of nutmeg. With a fork, mix everything together, being careful not to over-mix. This is not making mashed potatoes; It should have the consistency of a light dough.

Once the ingredients are evenly distributed, begin sprinkling flour into the bowl, while still mixing with the fork. As you add flour, the dough will get harder to stir. Stop adding flour when the mixture has formed a dough and it is only slightly sticky to the touch. (If in doubt, err on the side of adding too little flour, than adding too much.)

Gather the dough into a ball, and pour it onto a floured working surface. Knead gently until the stickiness is gone and the dough is workable, adding flour as needed. This only takes about a minute. Roll into a log, then cut into thick 1'' slices. Sprinkle more flour on the work surface, then roll each slice into a long snake, about 3/4'' in diameter. Cut each snake into 1'' angled pieces and roll in extra flour, before placing on a floured baking pan. Do this until all of the dough is cut into gnocchi, floured, and on the pan. Refrigerate if not using immediately, but make sure to serve the same day.

When cooking, use a wide-brimmed pot. The gnocchi will cook in about 1-2 minutes. Stir them around, as they might stick to the bottom. As soon as they float to the top of the water, fish them out using a large strainer or slotted spoon.

The sauce is very simple to make and can be heated while you are cooking the gnocchi. In a saucepan, melt the butter and oil together on M heat. Add the sage leaves and cook about 1-2 minutes. The sauce should be bubbling. Set aside. When ready to serve, pour the mixture over the gnocchi and toss to coat. Sprinkle with just a touch of nutmeg and enjoy!