Gnocchi of butternut squash.

I have made gnocchi previously HERE (click!) so this is the same process, but different ingredients.  It is similar in that it is delicate to work with.  I prefer to just roll these ones into sausage shapes and cut, without the usual fork indentation on the back, but go a head if you wish to.

500 g / 1 lb butternut squash (about a half)

3 egg yolks

75 g/  1/2 cup flour

125 g / 1/2 cup ricotta cheese

50 g /  1/2 cup parmesan cheese

salt and black pepper

Some olive oil (about three tablespoons) and a tablespoon of butter to finish.

Peel and dice the butternut squash, cook in a non-stick pan over a low heat with just a tiny amount of olive oil.  Cook until soft around twenty plus minutes.  You can choose to mash the butternut squash with a fork (as I like, it has more texture this way) or purée it in a blender. Put back in the pan and cook away any moisture - for say, another 5 minutes, the dryer the better. Leave to cool completely.

 Once cooled, add in the egg yolks and stir well.  Fold in the two cheeses, then the flour and seasoning (adding a little more flour if too soft). Don't over stir at this stage. On a floured surface, roll out into thin sausage shapes and cut (see the link above for this stage). 

Poach in salted boiling water in batches and once they float, count to 10 and transfer to a wide frying pan (skillet) with the olive oil and butter.  Keep on a low heat while you cook another batch.  You can turn the gnocchi over gently as they will fry and have a little crunch to them.  Serve with some fresh herbs of your choice : I used coriander leaves (cilantro) and some more black pepper.