Kabocha Squash Gnocchi with Maple Brown Butter Sauce and Burrata

Making gnocchi from scratch is one of my favorite slow weekend projects. Kabocha squash gives these a beautiful color and a subtle sweetness that plays so well with a maple brown butter sauce.

It takes a little patience but it’s honestly relaxing once you get into a rhythm. Finish it with torn burrata and you have something really special.

Kabocha Squash Gnocchi with Maple Brown Butter Sauce and Burrata

Ingredients:

• 1 lb russet potatoes

• 1 lb kabocha squash

• 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese

• 1 egg

• 1 3/4 cups flour (you may need more or a little less)

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 tsp nutmeg (optional)

• 8 tbsp salted butter

• 5-6 loves garlic, chopped

• 2 tbsp maple syrup

• Lots of fresh sage leaves for frying, I used about 15

• 4-6 oz Creme fraiche

• S + P

• Burrata for serving

Instructions:

1. Pierce the potatoes with a fork. Bake the potatoes until tender and fully cooked. Cool slightly. Grate the potatoes finely and transfer to a bowl.

2. Add the Kabocha puree, the parmesan, egg, nutmeg (if using) and salt. Slowly add in the flour and stir the mixture until just combined. If the dough seems wet, add a tablespoon of flour at a time, until it can be formed into a ball. The dough should be a little sticky.

3. Dust flour a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and generously flour a clean counter and scrape the dough out onto it. Cut the dough into four equal pieces. Working with one piece of dough at a time, roll the dough into a rope about 1/2 - 1 inch thick and cut the rope crosswise into about 3/4-inch pieces (eye it if you need to, but they should be bite sized pieces). Repeat this process with the other pieces of dough. Place the gnocchi on the dusted baking sheet If you want to, gently press the back of a fork onto the dough. Place the gnocchi in the fridge while you work on the sauce.

4. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil the gnocchi until they float to the top and are cooked through, about 3 minutes. Remove the gnocchi using a slotted spoon and reserve about 1/2 cup of the water in case you need it.

5. To make the sauce, heat the butter on medium-high and add garlic. Cook until the butter turns golden brown and the garlic gets crispy, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in the maple and add the sage leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Remove the sage leaves and place aside.

6. Drop the gnocchi into the sauce, gently tossing to combine, let the gnocchi brown at the bottom to give it an added texture (you don’t need to do it though). If the sauce thickens up, add a splash of pasta cooking water to thin it a bit.

7. Spread the Creme Fraiche on the bottom of each bowl. Spoon the gnocchi and sauce over the Creme Fraiche and top with Fresh Burrata, the sage and more of the sauce.

8. Eat while still hot and enjoy!!!