Smoked Squash Gnocchi with Sage Butter
If someone had once told me I’d be making fresh hand-made pasta on a bbq, I would have probably laughed in their face. Who uses a bbq to make fresh pasta? Well, I’ll tell you, this guy does now. That’s right, I made smoked squash gnocchi on the bbq. How you might ask? Simple, on the Alchemy! This is the perfect fall recipe, pure comfort food and a hearty meal on a cold evening. I started it off by searing acorn squash on the plancha and then put it in the Alchemy smoker compartment to cook and soften and get a nice, light smoky taste. Then, I mixed my squash with all-purpose flour, egg yolks and freshly grated parmesan cheese, rolled out the dough, and cut it into my gnocchi. I boiled a big pot of water on the plancha and blanched the gnocchi, just until they started to float and then transferred them straight onto the plancha to sear. The secret step is to chop up fresh sage and mix it into melted butter and then pour it over the gnocchi on the plancha. The gnocchi becomes infused with the sage butter and adds so much flavour and richness to the dish. Once the gnocchi are beautifully browned and a bit crispy on the outside, remove from the plancha and place in a bowl, season with Maldon salt and then grate a generous amount of fresh parm on top. Place three or four sage leaves straight onto the plancha and drizzle with the sage butter, allow to cook and crisp, flipping midway. Garnish you smoked squash gnocchi with the crispy sage leaves.
Believe it or not, this recipe is only 5 ingredients. It does take some time to make the dough, but you can even make that ahead, keep it in the fridge and then roll it out and cut it when you’re ready to make it. The dough should last about 2-3 days in the fridge. You can also form the gnocchi, freeze it on a sheet pan lined with parchment and then transfer it to an air-tight container to be stored in the freezer and is ready to pull out and use whenever you want. If you want to find out how to make my Smoked Squash Gnocchi with Sage Butter, keep reading or jump to the full recipe.
Preheat the smoker to 300F and bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cut the acorn squash in half and remove the seeds.
Place the squash face down on the plancha to sear. Once nicely browned, move to the smoker. Allow to smoke until the squash is very soft, about 45 minutes to an hour.
Melt the butter and add chopped fresh sage.
Once the squash is soft and tender, remove from the smoker and scoop out the flesh into a bowl. Add about a quarter cup of the melted sage butter and season with salt. Mash and mix to combine until smooth.
Slowly add in the all-purpose flour to the squash, about a cup at a time, stirring after each one.
Add in two egg yolks and mix until combined. Transfer the dough to a flat surface where you can knead it and roll it out easily.
Add about half of the grated fresh parmesan cheese to the dough. Fold the dough together and knead, adding more flour as needed, until the dough comes together and can be rolled out into 1-1.5 inch thick logs.
Using a sharp knife or pastry cutter, cut the dough into 1 inch pieces. Toss each gnocchi in flour and place on a plate or cutting board.
Make sure to salt your boiling water. Add in the gnocchi, one at a time, cover and allow to cook 1-2 minutes. Once the gnocchi floats to the top, it is ready to remove.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer the gnocchi directly to the hot plancha. Pour the melted sage butter over top.
Allow to cook until golden brown on all sides, flipping as needed. Remove the gnocchi from the plancha.
Add 3-4 whole sage leaves to the plancha and drizzle with the melted butter. Allow to cook and crisp up, flipping midway, about 1-2 minutes. Remove from the hot plancha and place on paper towel to drain.
To plate, place your gnocchi in a shallow bowl, season with Maldon salt, a generous amount of grated parm, the crispy sage leaves and a final drizzle of the melted sage butter.
And now for the full recipe...
Smoked Squash Gnocchi with Sage Butter
Serves 6
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour, 45 minutes
Ingredients:
1 large acorn squash
750g All-purpose flour
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 cup butter
20 leaves Fresh sage, 3 per plate, 2 to flavour butter
2 egg yolks
Salt
Pepper
Maldon salt for garnish
How to Make Smoked Squash Gnocchi with Sage Butter
Preheat the smoker to 300F and bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Cut the acorn squash in half and remove the seeds. Place face down on the plancha to sear. Once nicely browned, move to the smoker. Allow to smoke until the squash is very soft, about 45 minutes to an hour.
Melt the butter and add chopped fresh sage. Once the squash is soft and tender, remove from the smoker and scoop out the flesh into a bowl. Add about a quarter cup of the melted sage butter and season with salt. Mash and mix to combine until smooth. Slowly add in the all-purpose flour to the squash, about a cup at a time, stirring after each one. Add in two egg yolks and mix until combined. Flour your work surface and transfer your squash mixture onto the floured surface. Add about half of the grated fresh parmesan cheese. Fold the dough together and knead, adding more flour as needed, until the dough comes together and can be rolled out into 1-1.5 inch logs. Using a sharp knife or pastry cutter, cut the dough into 1 inch pieces. Toss each gnocchi in flour and place on a plate or cutting board.
Make sure to salt your boiling water. Add in the gnocchi, one at a time, cover and allow to cook 1-2 minutes. Once the gnocchi floats to the top, it is ready to remove. Using a slotted spoon, transfer directly to the hot plancha. Pour the melted sage butter over top and allow to cook until golden brown on all sides, flipping as needed.
Remove the gnocchi from the plancha. Add 3-4 whole sage leaves to the plancha and drizzle with the melted butter. Allow to cook and crisp up, flipping midway, about 1-2 minutes. Remove from the hot plancha and place on paper towel to drain.
To plate, place your gnocchi in a shallow bowl, season with Maldon salt, a generous amount of grated parm, the crispy sage leaves and a final drizzle of the melted sage butter.
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