Squash & Ricotta Gnocchi with Crispy Sage, Hazelnuts and Bacon

Looking to elevate your repertoire of pasta recipes? Look no further than our Squash and Ricotta Gnocchi with Crispy Sage, Hazelnuts, and Bacon. After all, there is nothing quite like homemade gnocchi topped with bacon, hazelnuts, and Pecorino shavings for the ultimate show-stopping main course.

While traditionally associated with tenderizing tough cuts of meat, the Braiser is the ideal piece of cookware for this recipe. This versatile piece of cookware is designed to lock in heat and moisture thanks to its domed lid, ensuring all the rich flavours and aromatics mingle wonderfully with the gnocchi.

Our Squash and Ricotta Gnocchi with Crispy Sage, Hazelnuts, and Bacon can quickly emerge as a staple in your household, offering a fun recipe to experiment with. This recipe takes just over two hours to prepare, accommodating between four and six portions, making it a great dish when entertaining friends and family. Be sure to grab all the ingredients you’ll need on your next grocery run and follow the steps below before tackling this recipe.

Gnocchi

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, toss the squash with the maple syrup, olive oil, sage and spices. Season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes or until the squash is very tender when pierced with a fork, stirring halfway through. Let cool slightly.

Transfer to a food processor and purée until smooth (you should have about 2 ½ cups/625 ml of purée). Add the egg, ricotta, crème fraîche, lemon juice and ¾ cup (180 ml) of the Pecorino. Season generously with salt and pepper.

Transfer to a large bowl. Using a wooden spoon, gradually add the flour until you have a soft, sticky dough. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. 

Cut the dough into 12 equal portions. With your hands, roll each portion of dough into a long rope about ½ inch (1 cm) wide, adding a light dusting of flour to the counter as you work. Cut the ropes into pieces of gnocchi about ¾ inches (2 cm) long. If desired, roll the gnocchi over the back of a fork to make an imprint with the tines (the dough will be soft so be gentle and add a dusting a flour to the fork to prevent sticking). Set the gnocchi aside in an even layer on floured baking sheets. 

Toppings

In the Braiser over medium heat, melt the butter with the olive oil. Add the sage leaves in an even layer and cook until crispy; remove with a slotted spoon. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes and hazelnuts. Cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside with the sage leaves. Remove any butter from the skillet and set aside.

Add the bacon to the Braiser and cook until crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Remove all but 2 tbsp (30 ml) of fat from the Braiser and set aside.

Working in batches, add the gnocchi to the Braiser in an even layer. Let cook on one side, without stirring, until nicely browned, about 3 minutes. Flip over and cook on the other side until nicely browned, about 3 minutes. Set aside in a bowl. Continue cooking the remaining gnocchi, adding more of the reserved butter and bacon fat for each batch.

Return the bacon and browned gnocchi to the Braiser. Stir in the remaining ¾ cup (180 ml) of the Pecorino until melted. Adjust the seasoning. Add a few dollops of crème fraîche and ricotta, to taste. For a creamier texture, gradually add 1 tbsp (15 ml) of water at a time until the desired texture is reached.

Remove from the heat and garnish with the sage and hazelnut mixture. Top with Pecornio shavings.