pumpkin & parmesan gnocchi

Preparation time 20 minutes

Cooking temperature low

Cooking time 6–8 hours

Serves 4

1 tablespoon olive oil

25 g (1 oz) butter

1 onion, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 tablespoons plain flour

150 ml (¼ pint) dry white wine

300 ml (½ pint) vegetable stock

2–3 stems of sage, plus extra to garnish (optional)

400 g (13 oz) pumpkin(or butternut squash), deseeded, peeled, diced and weighed after preparation

500 g (1 lb) chilled gnocchi

125 ml (4 fl oz) double cream

freshly grated Parmesan cheese

salt and pepper

Preheat the slow cooker if necessary; see the manufacturer’s instructions. Heat the oil and butter in a frying pan, add the onion and fry, stirring, for 5 minutes or until just beginning to turn golden.

Stir in the garlic, cook for 2 minutes, then stir in the flour. Gradually mix in the wine and stock and heat, stirring until smooth. Add the sage and season well.

Add the pumpkin to the slow cooker pot, pour over the hot sauce, then press the pumpkin beneath the surface of the liquid. Cover with the lid and cook on low for 6–8 hours or until the pumpkin is tender.

When almost ready to serve, bring a large saucepan of water to the boil, add the gnocchi, bring the water back to the boil and cook for 2–3 minutes or until the gnocchi float to the surface and are piping hot. Tip into a colander to drain.

Stir the cream, then the gnocchi, into the pumpkin, mix together lightly, then spoon into shallow bowls and serve topped with grated Parmesan and a few extra sage leaves, if liked.

For pumpkin pasta with dolcelatte, make up the pumpkin mixture as above, then cook 250 g (8 oz) rigatoni or penne pasta in a saucepan of boiling water for 10 minutes or until tender. Drain. Stir the cream into the pumpkin mixture as above, then stir in the pasta instead of the gnocchi and top with 125 g (4 oz) diced dolcelatte cheese instead of the Parmesan.