- 1 butternut squash
- A handful of sage, leaves only
- 1 onion
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 courgette
- 4 pork Cumberland sausages
- 2 tsp fennel seeds
- A 150g pot of plain flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 egg, yolk only
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- Baking tray
- Deep frying pan or wok
- Food processor (optional)
- A couple of pans
- 1.
Heat your oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Gas 6. Peel and halve your butternut squash. Scoop out the seeds. Chop the flesh into 1 cm cubes. Scatter onto a baking tray. Toss with ½ tbsp oil and plenty of seasoning. Roast in the oven for 30-40 mins till golden and blackened at the edges.
- 2.
Meanwhile, finely slice half the sage leaves and set aside. Peel and thinly slice the onion. Peel and crush the garlic. Use a veg peeler to create ribbons of courgette, turning the courgette as you go. Discard the seeded middle. Set the ribbons aside.
- 3.
Heat ½ tbsp oil in a deep frying pan or wok over a medium heat. Fry the whole sage leaves for 1-2 mins till crispy and curling at the edges. Remove with a slotted spoon and lay on a plate lined with kitchen paper. Keep the sage infused oil in the pan.
- 4.
Remove the skin from four of the sausages (save the other two for a sausage sarnie). Crumble the meat into the frying pan over a low heat. Add the onion, garlic, 2 tsp fennel seeds and half the sliced sage. Fry for 15 mins till cooked. Take off the heat.
- 5.
Tip half the roasted squash into a food processor with the remaining sage. Blitz to a smooth purée. Tip in the flour and 1 tsp baking powder. Pulse to just combine. Pour in the egg yolk and pulse for 30 secs. No processor? Press the squash through a sieve. Beat vigorously with the flour, sage and egg yolk.
- 6.
Bring two pans of salted water to the boil. Scoop out a heaped teaspoon of the squash gnocchi. Shape the sticky dough into rough balls with a second teaspoon. Drop into the water. Add 4 or 5 balls to each pan, then set the timer for 4 mins. The gnocchi will float when they’re cooked.
- 7.
After 4 mins, lift the gnocchi out and place on a large plate lined with baking paper. Repeat with the remaining dough, using both pans. Take care not to overcrowd the pan with too many gnocchi.
- 8.
Turn the heat under the frying pan to high. Allow the sausage and onions to crisp up. Carefully drop in the cooked gnocchi and the courgette ribbons. Gently toss together to coat the gnocchi. Spoon into a couple of bowls and top with the crispy sage leaves.
