Butternut Squash Gnocchi

This dish is so delicious and, amazingly, everyone in my family likes it. It's a bit time-consuming, but definitely worth it. I've made it a few times and there's definitely a learning curve involved, so hopefully I can share some tips that I've discovered to make creating these yummy little dumplings a little easier.

This recipe comes from the October 2008 issue of Sunset magazine and is an excellent fall meal. I recommend doubling the recipe when you make the dough and freezing half of it. This gets you more bang for your butternut-baking buck.

Butternut Squash Gnocchi

1 butternut squash 2 -3 pounds
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground white pepper
1/4 tsp nutmeg
3 1/2 cups flour
3 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, plus additional for serving

Preheat oven to 425°. Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Place the squash cut-side-down on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake until squash is tender, approximately 40 minutes.

(For speed, you may choose to microwave the squash for 10-20 minutes. Poke holes in the flesh first; cut and discard seeds after cooking. The original Sunset recipe calls for microwaving, but I ultimately found that to be more of a hassle and mess. Putting the squash in the oven is a much more hands-off--and to me, less stressful--way to cook it.)

When squash is fork tender, remove from oven and scrape out flesh with a spoon. Place 2 cups of squash in a bowl with the salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Mix well. Add flour, 1 cup at a time, until it turns into a dough. (You may want to use a mixer with a dough hook, but a wooden spoon and elbow grease work fine, too.) Turn the dough out onto a flour surface and knead, adding flour as necessary if too sticky.

Cut the dough in half and cover one half with plastic wrap. Working on the other half in sections, roll out into ropes, and cut these ropes into small gnocchi pieces (about 1x1 in).

Place the pieces onto a lightly flour baking sheet until you have finished working with the first half of dough. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt liberally.

Use a wide, flat spatula to transfer the gnocchi from the baking sheet into the boiling water. This helps prevent splashing and keeps most of the flour from going into the water. (I also use the spatula to transfer the gnocchi from the counter to the baking sheet. It just makes it a little faster.) Once the gnocchi are in the water, give them a good stir to make sure they aren't sticking together.

Boil gnocchi until they rise to the surface, about 4 minutes; cook 30 seconds longer and remove with a slotted spoon, making sure water drains from gnocchi. Place in a serving bowl and cover to keep warm while you prepare and cook the other half of the dough. To serve, gently toss with butter and parmesan and add more seasoning to taste. Yum!

Penne with Courgette

Courgette is the French word for zucchini and is also the word used in Britain, where I got this recipe. I found it in the Stilton Church Cookery Book which we bought when we went to the May Day celebrations, including cheese rolling, in the village of Stilton. I've adapted the recipe just a bit and we continue to use the British title. Our entire family likes this pasta dish, which is an excellent use of a summer garden's bounty.

Penne with Courgette
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium zucchinis/courgettes (or 1 large, approx. 1 lb.), washed and coarsely grated
16 oz. penne pasta
2 eggs
2 Tbsp. heavy whipping cream
salt and freshly ground pepper
handful of fresh basil leaves
freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the penne and cook until al dente. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté for a couple of minutes, until garlic becomes fragrant. Add grated zucchini and cook, stirring quickly, until they are really hot and still have a little bite to them. In a small bowl, beat the eggs, season with salt and pepper, and add cream.

When pasta is cooked, drain lightly and return to the pot. Add the egg mixture to the pasta, stirring constantly so it cooks in the heat of the pasta. Add the zucchini, torn basil leaves, and ground pepper. Put into a serving bowl and top generously with grated cheese. Serve with more cheese for diners to add as desired.

Serves 4.

Pasta with Lemon Cream Sauce

This has a nice light taste to it, although I'm sure the cream doesn't make it so light on the calories. Oh well!! I got this from http://www.allrecipes.com/, and adapted it just a bit. I serve this with green peas on the side, which the adults tend to mix in, while the kids eat them separately. To make this dish a little heartier, you can add cooked chicken and broccoli (or the aforementioned peas).

Pasta with Lemon Cream Sauce
2 T. butter
1 cup heavy whipping cream
3/4 cup chicken broth
zest of one lemon
juice of one lemon
zest of one lime or approx. 2 tsp. lime juice
1 lb. pasta of your choice (We like bowties or rotini.)

In a sauce pan, combine the butter, cream, and chicken broth. Simmer over medium heat until reduced by about half. As the sauce simmers, heat salted water until it comes to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain and put into a serving bowl. Add the citrus juices and zest to the reduced cream sauce, pour over the pasta, and stir to combine. Eat!

Tip for Juicing Citrus Fruit: Zap your lemons, limes, etc. in the microwave for about 20 seconds and you'll get more juice out of them. You can also roll them around on the counter with the heel of your palm.