Butternut squash risotto

Bright yellow, mildly sweet bite-sized dumplings in a simple brown butter and sage sauce. Omid Roustaei is an Iranian-American psychotherapist, recipe developer and culinary instructor, who is passionate about butternut squash risotto and improvisational cooking, often incorporating Persian influences. Bahareh Niati is a professional food photographer and recipe developer. Baking and sweet treats are her favorites, and she shares her creations and love for baking on her blog Baking is Therapy.

2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. Potato is perhaps the most popular and recognizable type of gnocchi. Perfectly cooked soft potatoes are mixed with egg, salt, and just enough flour to bind the ingredients together. These days you will find squashes, sweet potatoes, spinach, and a delicious array of cheeses incorporated into this once humble staple food. Making gnocchi is a true labor of love that requires patience, commitment, and appreciation for the skills to prepare food from scratch. While there is no shortage of artisan or mass-produced gnocchi products to buy, nothing can replicate the superior flavor and tender texture of truly fresh homemade gnocchi.

This recipe forgoes the traditional potato and instead utilizes the much cherished autumnal butternut squash to impart a bright color and mildly sweet flavor to the resulting gnocchi. The gnocchi are complemented beautifully by the deep flavors of sage leaves and slowly browned butter, hitting all the flavor notes for a satisfying meal. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 425 F. Using a sharp knife, cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds using a spoon. Roast until the squash halves are fully cooked and tender, about 45 minutes.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool before scooping out the flesh. Puree the squash using a food processor or hand-held blender until completely smooth and creamy. Place the squash puree in a saucepan over medium heat and stir frequently to remove some of the moisture. The squash should roughly resemble the consistency of a dense whipped cream. Place 1 cup of the squash puree in a large bowl, and let cool to room temperature. 4 teaspoon salt, ricotta, parmesan, egg, and nutmeg to the bowl with the pureed squash and mix well using a rubber spatula.

2 cup at a time, mixing gently until the mixture begins to come together into a soft, pliable dough. If the dough is still sticky, add 1 tablespoon of flour at a time to bring it together. Remove the dough from the bowl and place it on a clean and lightly floured surface. Gently knead the dough just until it is smooth with no visible flour, 2 to 4 minutes. It is important to keep the kneading to a minimum to avoid developing gluten and toughening the gnocchi.

Transfer the dough to a clean bowl, cover with a clean towel, and place in the refrigerator for a minimum of 1 hour or up to overnight to firm up. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and on a lightly floured surface, divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. Cut each rope into 1-inch segments. Lightly roll each gnocchi along the side of a lightly floured gnocchi board or against the floured tines of a fork to create a grooved texture. Spread the gnocchi on floured baking sheets, leaving enough space between them to prevent them sticking to each other. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. In three batches, transfer the gnocchi pieces to the pot and boil them until they become springy and soft, 3 to 4 minutes.

Gnocchi are ready 1 to 2 minutes after they have floated to the top. Toss the squash in 1 tbsp oil together with the chopped sage. Scatter into a shallow roasting tin and roast for 30 mins until brown and soft. While the squash is roasting, prepare the risotto. Bring the stock to the boil and keep on a low simmer.

In a separate pan, melt half the butter over a medium heat. Stir in the onions and cook gently for 8-10 mins until soft but not coloured, stirring occasionally. Stir the rice into the onions until completely coated in the butter, then stir continuously until the rice is shiny and the edges of the grain start to look transparent. Pour in the wine and simmer until completely evaporated.

The risotto should be creamy and slightly soupy. At the same time, gently fry the whole sage leaves in a little olive oil until crisp, then set aside on kitchen paper. When the squash is cooked, mash half of it to a rough purée and leave half whole. When the risotto is just done, stir through the purée, then add the cheese and remaining butter and leave to rest for a few minutes. Serve the risotto scattered with the whole chunks of squash and the crisp sage leaves. This website is published by Immediate Media Company Limited under licence from BBC Studios Distribution.