Yesterday, I decided to make home-made gnocchi (a pain in the @$$, but well worth it on a Sunday afternoon). This recipe is pretty common, but I added some lemon zest and sherry, and some additional nutmeg. With the browned sage butter and Parmesan cheese…mmm, fantastic! I hope you’ll try this some weekend when you have some “me” time!

1 3-lb winter squash (such as butternut), sliced in half length-wise, seeds removed

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 large baking potato (russet), peeled and quartered
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 large egg, beaten
1 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp salt
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tsp dry Spanish sherry
1 3/4 cups flour (plus some additional)
1/2 cup butter
2 Tbsp chopped sage

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit

Place squash half (cut side down) on a baking sheet. Brush each with olive oil. Place in oven and roast 1 1/2 hours. Remove and let cool for a few minutes. Scoop out flesh and place in a food processor. Process until smooth. Place in a large bowl and set aside.

Boil potato in salted water for 20 minutes. Drain. Rice potatoes into a bowl. Measure out 2, loosely packet cups and add to squash.

To the squash mixture, add 1/2 cup Parmesan, egg, nutmeg, salt, lemon zest and sherry. Gradually add the flour, kneading gently. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Gently knead a bit further (but don’t overdo it!). Divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 1/2-inch rope. Cut each rope into 3/4-inch pieces. Using your hands (and additional flour, if necessary) roll each piece into the shape of a mini football. Place on baking sheets that have been lined with parchment paper. Cover each sheet with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add gnocchi and cook for 17 minutes. Drain and set aside.

In a small sauce pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add sage and cook until butter is light-brown in color, about 4 minutes.

Place gnocchi and butter mixture in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Toss and place on serving plates. Garnish with the remaining Parmesan. Serve with a simple lemon-vinaigrette salad.

Serves 6.