Butternut Squash Gnocchi + Sage Browned Butter

When it comes to homemade pasta dough, the Gnocchi is such a delicacy. It's tender and soft but not too fussy to make, even for someone who's never made pasta dough before. It took me two tries to get the texture right, but that is likely because I tried two very different recipes and one of them was not very good. This one is adapted from Lidia Bastianich which turned out so delicious - probably because she's an Italian. Ask anyone who has Italian lineage and they will likely tell you about wonderful memories they have eating it growing up. It's very traditional and much like eating a dumpling but still qualifies as pasta as it is the star of the plate, served with a sauce, parmesan reggiano, herbs and little else. The Gnocchi really shines when you get creative with the dough by incorporating vegetable purees, fresh herbs or spices. Don't be intimated! Every good recipe deserves two turns in the pan before it can be properly graded, and most of that is based on our learning curve in the kitchen, not necessarily the recipe itself.

The butternut squash and the fresh sage make this dish deliciously seasonal for fall + winter. Sage is nearly evergreen in Oklahoma and I have it growing at all times. The grandmother of the garden, as it were. Butternut is delicious in cold weather as it ripens around Thanksgiving. Brown butter is amazing year 'round, however. You can achieve this by heating a tablespoon or two in a heavy bottom pan on medium until the solids start to turn a toasty brown after a few minutes. It smells nutty and crispy and irresistible. In this situation, it serves as the sauce. It's rich in flavor so you don't need much per serving. Use clarified butter to make it extra decadent and better for you. I would serve this with fresh, spicy salad greens that are tossed in a simple vinaigrette and some crusty bread to wipe your plate. The Italians call that fare la scarpetta which means little shoe. This is the finishing move to any great dish where you cannot bear to waste any bit of tastiness on the plate.

INGREDIENTS

1 medium butternut squash, halved + seeded
2 russet potatoes, peeled + quartered
1 3|4 c all purpose flour + extra for dusting
1 large egg, beaten
3|4 c parmesan or pecorino
1|2 - 1|4 c butter or ghee (clarified butter)
1|2 tsp sea salt
2 Tb fresh sage leaves, chiffanode
fresh nutmeg
pinch red chile flakes, to preference
black pepper
olive oil

METHOD

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brush the butternut squash halves with olive oil and sprinkle with salt + pepper. Bake for 25-30 minutes until tender. A knife inserted into the flesh should slide and pierce easily. While the squash bakes, boil the potatoes until tender, about 10-12 minutes in lightly salted water. When the potatoes are done, drain and press through a potato ricer, a food mill or through a fine sieve until it is a smooth puree. Scrape the squash from the flesh into a thin dish cloth and then twist the top to wring out all of the liquid. Mix the potato puree, squash puree, flour, egg, cheese, salt, nutmeg and black pepper into a medium bowl until just combined. Don't overmix! Dust some flour onto a work surface and turn the dough out. Knead it a few times until it comes together in a nice ball. Divide this into 8 equal pieces. Take each piece and roll into a 1|2 inch thick rope. Cut each rope into 1|4 inch sections and roll gently along the back of the tines of a fork to give it some grooves, but without flattening it. You want a bit of thickness to remain. Do this to each rope and put all of the Gnocchi onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and chill for 30 minutes.

At this point, you are ready to boil salted water and make the Gnocchi immediately to serve, or you can freeze them in an airtight container for later. They will last about 2 weeks frozen (give or take) and still taste pretty close to fresh. Boil the Gnocchi in batches of 10 or so until they float. Skim them off with a slotted spoon or spatula and set aside.

Make the butter by warming it on medium in a heavy bottom pan. A cast iron pan with or without ceramic coating works best. Stay here at this step. If you walk away or try to multi-task, you will likely burn the butter, rendering it unusable which is expensive if you're using a high-quality butter. After a few minutes, it smells toasty and turns slightly brown. Drop in the fresh Sage and stir constantly for about a minute. The essential oils of the leaves will emit a deeply energizing smell and turn a darker green. It's imperative that your heat is not too high at this step or you will also burn the Sage and that doesn't taste good either. When it's done, turn off the heat and drop in the cooked Gnocchi with a splash of the cooking water. It has starch in it which binds and thickens the butter to stick to the pasta in those little grooves you made with the fork. Toss everything together in the pan, adjust the salt + pepper + red chiles and serve topped with shaved cheese. You can spoon the extra butter onto wilted or fresh greens. Toast some crusty bread and you're headed for happy belly.

ENJOY!!

Crispy Zucchini Fritters

Here's one of those winner recipes that is so versatile, it can be eaten and served any time of the day. The addition of the tangy, lemony yogurt makes it a perfect snack or meal, along with a nice piece of fish or chicken and a fresh tomato salad or eggs. There is always room to make anything vegan or gluten free with a some basic substitutions, which make the best recipes, in my opinion. They are easily made ahead of time, refrigerated and reheated or frozen and baked. I adapted this recipe from the Smitten Kitchen and then modified it a little, as usual. You can also substitute potatoes for part or all of the zucchini and add other things like kale, mushrooms or onions. Serve them as an appetizer on a bed of wilted greens and thin out the yogurt into a dressing by adding extra lemon juice or a little vinegar. Warm and satisfying, these fritters will have you doubling the recipe in no time just so you can eat one more!

INGREDIENTS
1 medium zucchini, ends trimmed
4-5 mushrooms, sliced thin
2 scallions, finely minced
1 egg or vegan egg substitute
1|2 cup flour, all-purpose or gluten free
1|2 t baking powder
sea salt + pepper
crushed red pepper or cayenne to taste
pinch of garlic powder
1|2 t nutritional yeast
olive oil

LEMONY YOGURT
1|2 cup greek yogurt or coconut yogurt
1|2 lemon, juiced
pinch of salt
1 clove of garlic, crushed
lemon zest to taste

DIRECTIONS
Grate the zucchini on a box grater or with the fitted blade of a food processor. You can also use a spiralizer if you want long, mop-like strands which coil to make nests. Take the shredded zucchini and put it in a bowl with a sprinkle of salt. Let it stand for 10 minutes. This will begin to draw the water out. Then put it in a thin dishcloth or some cheesecloth. Squeeze out the excess moisture. You'll be surprised how much liquid you lose in this process. This keeps them from being soggy and ensures a crispy crust, like making hash browns. Return them to a medium bowl and add the egg to coat them. Add everything else except the flour and baking powder. Mix those two ingredients in a separate bowl, then add the mixture a spoonful at a time, stirring each time until you have incorporated all of it. Heat up a skillet on medium-high and warm the olive oil. Drop spoonfuls of the batter in, careful not to crowd the pan. Drizzle the tops with a little more olive oil and use a spatula to slightly smash them into patties. Cook for 3-4 minutes on either side, or until they are crispy brown. You can finish them in a 200 degree oven for another 10 minutes if you want to make sure they are cooked through and firm. I personally did not, and I thought they were perfect. Serve with your favorite accompaniments and top them with a dollop of the lemony yogurt and some zest for presentation.

ENJOY!!