Onion Squash Gnocchi, Spinach & Chanterelles

There are days when we really don’t need to eat meat, fish, potatoes or any other conventional meal. September gives us a lovely variety of squashes and wild mushrooms to feast upon. Homemade gnocchi with the tang of spinach, nutty crunch of pine nuts and gorgeous new season Chanterelle mushrooms are an irresistible combination.

Ingredients For 4
For the Gnocchi
600g Onion or Butternut Squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into chunks
1 Clove Garlic, peeled and crushed
1 Tablespoon Rapeseed Oil
Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper 
1 large Egg
80g Plain Flour
60g hard Cheese, finely grated
½ teaspoon Ground Nutmeg

For the rest
80g Butter
A few Sage Leaves
40g Pine Nuts
100g Chanterelle Mushrooms
150g Baby Spinach Leaves

Method

• Put the squash and garlic into an ovenproof dish, coat with oil, season with salt and pepper. Roast in a preheated oven at 180c for 25 minutes

• Transfer the cooked squash to a food processor and blitz to a puree

• Put the puree into a large mixing bowl, make a well in the middle, stir in the egg.

• Mix the flour with the grated cheese and nutmeg, sprinkle about half of this onto the squash then knead to form dough. Keep kneading, adding the flour mix until it is dry and holds firm.

• Sprinkle some extra flour onto the surface, form the dough into even diameter cylindrical lengths, cut into 3cm pieces

• Bring a large pan of salted water up to the boil over a moderate heat. Cook the gnocchi, a few at a time, by gently lowering them in and out of the water with a slotted spoon. They will float when they are cooked, approximately 2 minutes per batch. Set aside and allow to cool

• To finish the dish, heat the butter in a heavy based pan over a moderate heat. Fry the Pine nuts and sage leaves, lift them out of the pan and set aside.

• Add the mushrooms to the pan, stir-fry for 2-3 minutes. Now add the gnocchi to heat through for another 2-3 minutes. Finally stir in the spinach leaves, cook foe a minute until they have wilted

• Toss the mixture together; serve immediately with crispy sage leaves and pine nuts on top. It is a complete meal in one dish.