Butternut Squash Gnocchi with Peas and Bacon

Butternut Squash Gnocchi with Peas and Bacon

oops, that is a bit of a messy plate, but I was hungry.

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these measurements are not exact! the random amount of cooked squash you end up with will throw off any measurements

1 small butternut squash

3 rashers of bacon

1/2 cup frozen peas

1 cup chana /garbanzo-bean / chick-pea flour (all the same thing)

1/4 cup olive oil

1 sprig of rosemary (optional as I only use it to perfume the squash when cooking the flavour is subtle)

salt and pepper

peel and dice the squash

add salt and pepper

(optional)
toss in a bowl with the rosemary

spread on a sheet pan

drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat

roast in a 400ºF oven until slightly browned and tender.
Remove the squash, leave most/all of the rosemary behind as it can be quite bitter, and blend or mash the squash until smooth

blend / mash / mix the squash and let cool.
Approximate the volume of squash you have, and add about half that amount of chana flour.

you should end up with a very soft and slightly sticky dough

gently roll the dough into snakes

cut fork width pieces and coat them in the chana flour.

place on the back of a fork and roll them down to leave grooves in the gnocchi

place on a waxed paper lined cookie sheet, and put in the freezer for 15-30 minutes.
freezing the dough will help it stay together when you boil it.

render the bacon into bacon bits

Gather the waxed paper by the corners.

swirl until the gnocchi are all in the pool

place the bundle in the HEAVILY SALTED boiling water
the water should taste like the ocean

set the bacon aside, but leave the fat in the pan

when the gnocchi float to the top, remove them to the hot pan

Fry the gnocchi until they start to get a bit of golden brown colouring

add bacon and frozen peas and toss to combine

shave/grate/shake parmesan and serve