Butternut Squash Gnudi with Kale, Parmesan, and Pepitas
By Tim ChinPublished on October 5, 2016
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
Gnudi
2½ pounds butternut squash, peeled, halved, seeded, and sliced ¼ inch thick1½ ounces Parmesan cheese, grated fine (¾ cup)3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon egg white powder 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons tapioca starch 1 teaspoon kosher saltKale
2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 pound kale, stemmed and chopped2 tablespoons water 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 garlic cloves, minced1 teaspoon sherry vinegar Kosher salt and pepperBefore You Begin
Do not substitute raw egg whites for the egg white powder, as the extra water will ruin the texture of the gnudi. Dried egg white powder offers the structural benefits of liquid egg whites without the added water—which means we can use less tapioca starch and keep the squash flavor front and center. You can find it online by clicking here. For an accurate measurement of boiling water, bring a full kettle of water to a boil and then measure out the desired amount. We like lacinato kale in this recipe, but curly kale will work equally well. You can eat the cooked gnudi immediately following the 1-hour refrigeration, or they can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Instructions
- Place squash in large microwave-safe bowl and cover with microwave-safe plate. Microwave at 100 percent power until fully tender, 20 to 25 minutes, stirring halfway through microwaving. Carefully remove plate and drain squash in colander, discarding liquid. Set squash aside to cool slightly.
- Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees F/150 degrees C. Line bottom of large roasting pan with dish towel, folding towel to fit smoothly, and set aside. (The dish towel raises the baking pan off the bottom of the roasting pan and prevents the gnudi from overcooking on the bottom. It also provides traction for the baking pan so it doesn’t slip around when removing the roasting pan from the oven.) Spray 8-inch square nonstick baking pan with vegetable oil spray; set aside.
- Measure out 21 ounces (about 3 cups) cooked squash (reserve remaining squash for another use). Place squash in food processor and process until smooth, about 1 minute, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add Parmesan, egg white powder, butter, tapioca starch, and salt and process until well combined, about 30 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Transfer mixture to prepared baking pan, smooth top with spatula, and tap pan on counter to release air bubbles.
- Cover baking pan tightly with aluminum foil and place in center of prepared roasting pan. Place roasting pan in oven and carefully pour 8 cups boiling water into roasting pan. Bake until center of mixture is set, no longer sticks to fingers when gently pressed, and registers 170 to 180 degrees F/77 to 82 degrees C, 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes. Remove baking pan from water bath, discard foil, and let cool slightly, about 10 minutes. Refrigerate gnudi in pan until firm, about 1 hour. (At this point gnudi can be wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 3 days.) Carefully unmold gnudi onto cutting board, discarding plastic. Using wet knife, cut gnudi into 1 by ¾-inch rectangular pieces, wiping knife with dish towel and rewetting between cuts. (A few gnudi will not be a perfect 1 by ¾-inch size. If desired, the whole gnudi block can be trimmed into a 6-inch square and cut into 48 even-size pieces.) You will have 50 to 60 pieces.
- Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add kale and cook until slightly wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Add water, butter, garlic, and vinegar and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted and fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and divide among 4 shallow bowls.
- Meanwhile melt butter in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add half of gnudi and 1 tablespoon sage, cover, and cook until browned on one side, 2 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide gnudi evenly between 2 bowls. Repeat with remaining gnudi and remaining 1 tablespoon sage; season with salt and pepper to taste and divide evenly between remaining 2 bowls. Sprinkle with pepitas, lemon zest, and shaved Parmesan; drizzle with oil; and serve.
for the kale
Yield
Serves 4Ingredients
Gnudi
Kale
Ingredients
Gnudi
Kale
Ingredients
Gnudi
Kale
Why This Recipe Works
Gnudi are gnocchi-like dumplings that are traditionally made with strained ricotta and nothing more than a light dusting of semolina flour—essentially a ravioli filling minus the pasta. The result is something much less dense than gnocchi—more cloud-like and ethereal. In this version, we use butternut squash instead of ricotta to create the ultimate fall dish. While researching for this recipe, we found this post on Ideas in Food, and we got to tinkering. The challenge in trying to make dumplings out of squash is getting them to hold together without diluting the squash flavor with large quantities of binders such as wheat flour and eggs. In this recipe, we use very small amounts of tapioca starch and egg white powder (the extra water in fresh egg whites requires more tapioca starch, which means less squash flavor) to effectively bind water and form a stable but supertender gel. The dough is too delicate to knead and roll out, so instead we gently bake it and then cut the gnudi by hand. These creamy, light-as-air dumplings are 93 percent squash, so that’s all you taste. The gnudi can be turned into a satisfying dish with wilted kale, Parmesan, and pumpkin seeds in less than 10 minutes.
Before You Begin
Do not substitute raw egg whites for the egg white powder, as the extra water will ruin the texture of the gnudi. Dried egg white powder offers the structural benefits of liquid egg whites without the added water—which means we can use less tapioca starch and keep the squash flavor front and center. You can find it online by clicking here. For an accurate measurement of boiling water, bring a full kettle of water to a boil and then measure out the desired amount. We like lacinato kale in this recipe, but curly kale will work equally well. You can eat the cooked gnudi immediately following the 1-hour refrigeration, or they can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Instructions
- Place squash in large microwave-safe bowl and cover with microwave-safe plate. Microwave at 100 percent power until fully tender, 20 to 25 minutes, stirring halfway through microwaving. Carefully remove plate and drain squash in colander, discarding liquid. Set squash aside to cool slightly.
- Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees F/150 degrees C. Line bottom of large roasting pan with dish towel, folding towel to fit smoothly, and set aside. (The dish towel raises the baking pan off the bottom of the roasting pan and prevents the gnudi from overcooking on the bottom. It also provides traction for the baking pan so it doesn’t slip around when removing the roasting pan from the oven.) Spray 8-inch square nonstick baking pan with vegetable oil spray; set aside.
- Measure out 21 ounces (about 3 cups) cooked squash (reserve remaining squash for another use). Place squash in food processor and process until smooth, about 1 minute, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add Parmesan, egg white powder, butter, tapioca starch, and salt and process until well combined, about 30 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Transfer mixture to prepared baking pan, smooth top with spatula, and tap pan on counter to release air bubbles.
- Cover baking pan tightly with aluminum foil and place in center of prepared roasting pan. Place roasting pan in oven and carefully pour 8 cups boiling water into roasting pan. Bake until center of mixture is set, no longer sticks to fingers when gently pressed, and registers 170 to 180 degrees F/77 to 82 degrees C, 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes. Remove baking pan from water bath, discard foil, and let cool slightly, about 10 minutes. Refrigerate gnudi in pan until firm, about 1 hour. (At this point gnudi can be wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 3 days.) Carefully unmold gnudi onto cutting board, discarding plastic. Using wet knife, cut gnudi into 1 by ¾-inch rectangular pieces, wiping knife with dish towel and rewetting between cuts. (A few gnudi will not be a perfect 1 by ¾-inch size. If desired, the whole gnudi block can be trimmed into a 6-inch square and cut into 48 even-size pieces.) You will have 50 to 60 pieces.
- Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add kale and cook until slightly wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Add water, butter, garlic, and vinegar and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted and fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and divide among 4 shallow bowls.
- Meanwhile melt butter in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add half of gnudi and 1 tablespoon sage, cover, and cook until browned on one side, 2 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide gnudi evenly between 2 bowls. Repeat with remaining gnudi and remaining 1 tablespoon sage; season with salt and pepper to taste and divide evenly between remaining 2 bowls. Sprinkle with pepitas, lemon zest, and shaved Parmesan; drizzle with oil; and serve.
for the kale
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