Butternut Squash Gnocchi with Brown Butter and Sage

For the gnocchi:

1 cup cooked butternut squash, pureed until smooth

1 1/2 cups flour, you can use all-purpose, whole-wheat, or a combo of both

1 large egg

1 tsp. grated nutmeg

For the sauce:

1/2 cup butter

2 T chopped fresh sage

Freshly grated Parmesan

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients together in a large bowl. Stir to bring together into a slightly sticky dough. You’ll want to mix this as little as possible to avoid making them tough.
2. Divide the dough into four sections, and roll each section out, one at a time, into a rope about 1/4 inch thick. Use plenty of flour to keep them from sticking.
3. Cut each rope into little sections, about 1 inch long. You may go ahead and cook them from this stage, or if you want to make your gnocchi more like the pros do, and make them hold a little bit more sauce on each bite, add the ridges. Do this by lightly rolling the tines of a fork over each individual “pillow” of gnocchi.
4. While you’re cutting and marking the gnocchi, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the gnocchi in batches, if need be. They are done as soon as they float to the top, at which point you can remove them with a slotted spoon onto a baking sheet.
5. Make the sauce: in a heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter over medium heat until it begins to brown. Add the chopped sage and cook another minute. Add in the gnocchi and toss to reheat. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and finish with freshly grated Parmesan.