CRISPY BUTTERNUT SQUASH GNOCCHI WITH FRIED GARLIC & ROSEMARY
When eating grain free, pasta is just one of those things that is hard to find a sufficient replacement for, and the idea of making it from scratch can be down right intimidating.
I am here to tell you there is a way! And it is far simpler than you would imagine. In this case, rather than using potatoes and white flour, I use butternut squash and cassava flour to make gnocchi. The squash adds a lightness and slightly sweet flavor and cassava flour holds it all together. Traditionally, gnocchi is boiled, but I prefer to pan fry these after boiling to create a golden brown crust and keep them from getting soggy.
YOU WILL NEED
2 cups butternut squash (about ½ of the squash)
4 tablespoons avocado oil or ghee, plus more for greasing butternut squash
1 cup cassava flour, plus more for dusting
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 tablespoons salted butter
2 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
1 sprig rosemary, chopped
Almond Ricotta or Sheep’s Milk Ricotta, optional
TO MAKE
Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
Cut a butternut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Grease the cut side of the squash with 2 tablespoons of avocado oil and place on a baking sheet cut side down. Place the squash in the oven to roast until fork-tender, about 45 minutes, flipping halfway through. Remove from the oven to cool slightly. Peel off the skin and discard. In a mixing bowl, mash the butternut squash. Measure two cups of butternut squash. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cassava flour, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Mash in the butternut squash to combine. Use your hands to make sure the mixture is fully incorporated and forms a dough. Separate the dough into four even-sized balls.
Dust a flat surface or cutting board with a bit of cassava flour. Roll each ball of dough into long, thin logs about 1 inch in diameter, using slight pressure and pinching any cracks that form while rolling to keep the dough from breaking apart. Using a knife or pastry cutter, cut the dough into ½” pieces of gnocchi. Press the top of each piece gently with a fork to create a striped pattern.
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add in the gnocchi to boil until they float. Remove from the water and set on a drying rack or paper towels. This boiling step isn’t absolutely necessary, but makes the gnocchi slightly more tender.
Bring a large pan or cast iron skillet to medium heat. Add in 2 tablespoons of avocado oil and 2 tablespoons of salted butter to melt. Arrange the gnocchi in the pan to fry until one side is crispy, 3-5 minutes. Flip over the gnocchi to fry until crispy, for about another 3-5 minutes. You may need to fry the gnocchi in two batches depending on the size of your pan. If frying in two batches, melt an additional 1 tablespoon of avocado oil or ghee and 1 tablespoon of butter to the pan before frying the second batch. Once the gnocchi has a golden brown, crispy crust, remove from the pan and place in a serving bowl.
Keep the pan over medium heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of avocado oil and 2 tablespoons of butter to melt. Add the garlic and rosemary to fry, stirring occasionally until the garlic is golden brown and crispy. Pour the garlic and rosemary sauce over the gnocchi and serve topped with a dollop of ricotta.
NOTE FOR PLANT-BASED: To make vegan, replace the butter with 1 extra tablespoon of avocado oil to cook the gnocchi and 1 extra tablespoon of avocado oil for the fried rosemary and garlic.