Butternut Squash Gnocchi

Remember when Giz lost her mind and bought way too many pumpkins?   I know that's vague seeing as losing her mind and buying too much food is a bit of a regular occurrence.  Well, one of the side effects of this was me having frozen pumpkin puree in my freezer for about a year.  Maybe that makes me an enabler.

I figured, it would probably be 'pushing it' to keep the puree in the freezer for more than a year.  Around the same time, I saw this really great post and video about making pumpkin gnocchi.  The inspiration began...  Then, Proud Italian Cook featured a gnocchi-making day on her blog.  I would love to be able to take part in one of her mass pasta-making days.  I e-mailed Marie, asking for her recipe.  Turns out she got about 200 other similar e-mail requests.


Butternut Squash Gnocchi 


Ingredients

• 2 cups of  pureed butternut squash (I used pumpkin)
• ½ cup Parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp. salt
• Pepper to taste
• 2 eggs
• 2+ cups flour

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cut the squash in half. Remove the seeds, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Lay cut side down on parchment lined baking sheet. Roast the squash until soft—30 minutes or so.

Scoop the flesh of the squash out and place it in the food processor. Puree until completely smooth.

**I started at this point in the recipe, since I already had the pureed pumpkin.  However, I figured I should remove the water from the puree.   I put the puree in cheese cloth and let the water drain for about an hour (and then squeezed it impatiently).  

What originally started out at about 4 cups, turned into about 2 cups, after the water was removed.

Mix the pureed squash with parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and eggs. 

Then add the flour into the mixture and work together by hand (I started with a spoon and then switched to using my hands).

 

It will be very sticky.  I ended up needing well over 2 cups (probably closer to 2 and 3/4 or 3 cups) by the time I was done.

Once smooth, flour work surface, Divide dough into 6 pieces.

Roll each piece into a long strip, about ½ inch wide. Cut the strip into ¼ to ½ inch pieces.

Using a gnocchi board, a fork, the back of a grater (or just as is) to create ridges. 

Place each piece on the floured wax paper and repeat with the rest of the dough.

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Boil until all the gnocchi floats—about 5 minutes.

While gnocchi is cooking have your sauce ready so you can toss right in.  

If not you can freeze them.

The recipe made enough for 3 sheets worth of gnocchi.  I actually froze them all, but defrosted one sheet the next day for dinner.

The rest went into a freezer bag for leftovers.

Verdict: A very good first effort, if I do say so myself.  My gnocchi may not be as pretty as Marie's, but I really liked the taste. I didn't really taste the pumpkin flavour, but that's probably my fault for pairing it with a tomato sauce.  I would definitely make this (or one of Marie's other gnocchi recipes) again -- probably a double or triple recipe. 

It has been a really long time since I've made a pasta dish worth blogging about. So, I've got to share this with Presto Pasta Night.  This week's (week #243) roundup is being hosted by Jamie at Cooking with Moxie.

Roundup: Presto Pasta Nights # 126

One hundred and twenty six weeks in and still going strong! It is my pleasure to host Presto Pasta Nights for a second time. To see my first PPN round up, click here. This week is chock full of more great pasta recipes. Let me tell you about them...

Johanna from Green Gourmet Giraffe shares a recipe for Creamy Spinach Walnut Pasta. Johanna uses her tried and true combination of walnut and cottage cheese. When combined with spinach, it makes for a creamy pesto-like sauce. Sounds delicious.


Mikky from My Finds shares Tocini with Malunggay Marinara Pasta. Interestingly, tocino is a cured meat native to the Phillipines and malunggay is eaten like spinach and contains Vitamin C and other minerals. Some flavours I'd definitely like to try.


Amelie shares her Homemade Rice-a-Roni, one of her signature dishes. I was lucky enough to actually taste this dish as R and I went over to Amelie's for dinner tonight! This versatile dish is a total crowd-pleaser and the toasted almonds give it a nice little crunch.


Kevin from Closet Cooking makes a strong case for combining shrimp, feta and tomato sauce. His Baked Shrimp and Feta Pasta is inspired by the Taste of the Danforth, a Greek festival held annually in Toronto.


Chaya from Sweet and Savoury Says it All serves up her Triple Cheese Pasta Bake. This dish combines white cheddar, parmesan and yogurt cheese for a delightful cheese-filled dish that is sure to get you salivating.


Rita from Mochachocolata-Rita shares her recipe for Baked Pasta with Fish, Bacon and Cheddar. Although she is still perfecting this dish, it looks delicious to me.


Here's a dish brought to you by my mom, Giz, who co-blogs with me at Equal Opportunity Kitchen. Surpassing her own expectations with this Fettucini Pescatora, Giz is probably still dancing around the kitchen with excitement for this dish. I'm impressed mom -- put this on the menu for my next visit.


Gilli from So So Simple Food shares The Best Lasagne Yet. With its three sauces, Basic Meat and Tomato sauce, Mushroom Sauce and Béchamel with Grated Cheese, I'm really starting to crave some lasagne.


Debbie from Dining with Debbie shares a Spaghetti Salad. This recipe comes from a cookbook fundraiser for a project called “Safety Zone", which provides an immediate safe house for abused children when they have been removed from their homes. A great cause, indeed.


Ruth, the creator of Presto Pasta Nights, shares Curried Spaghetti Sauce on her blog, Once Upon a Feast. At first glance, this looks like a traditional marinara sauce, but this dish also incorporates flavours like curry leaves, cumin and coriander. This is a combination I'd like to try with pasta.


Pam, the creator of one of my favourite blogs, Sidewalk Shoes, submits Fusilli with Eggplant, Pine Nuts, Currants, and Capers. Understandably, this dish has turned around Pam's original dislike for eggplant.


Val from More than Burnt Toasy always makes enticing dishes and this one is no exception. This Pesto Pasta Salad is perfect for the summer season. Val explains that "...although it is basic, it is packed with flavour. It is also a "light" dish because it uses yogurt instead of mayo".


Libby from The Allergic Kid features recipes and tips for certain allergies. This week, she shares her Alphabet Soup. This dish combines nutritious ingredients with fun alphabet pasta.


Sarah from What Smell So Good shares a vegan version of Macaroni & Cheese. Although it's still being perfected, it is a good reminder that I need to get out of my typical omnivorous box.


Mangocheeks (I love the name) from Allotment 2 Kitchen made her Spicy Broccoli Pasta Frittata that not only looks delicious but features fresh veggies from her garden. Go check out her blog to see more pictures of her garden -- they're beautiful!


Daphne from More Than Words shares not one but TWO pasta dishes with us. The first is her Garlic Chili Aglio Olio Spaghetti. It only contains four ingredients, but much like Daphne says, "Sometimes the best comfort food is the simplest".


Daphne's second dish is Cheesy Baked Pasta with Bacon, Mushrooms and Peas. Since it's winter time in Australia, Daphne has been craving baked pasta. She uses a reduced calorie cream sauce option that sounds delicious.


Here's my contribution to this week's roundup, Spaghetti with Cajun Chicken. This dish is quite simple, but the cajun seasoning packs a punch and pairs well with the tomato base and feta cheese. Can't wait for leftovers tomorrow!


Joanne from Eats Well With Others submits her my Pistachio Pesto Pasta with Butternut Squash to this week's PPN. Joanne and I share a proclivity for green sauces and tries out a pistachio pesto, which sounds very interesting.


Bergamot from Cooking Escapes and Delights shares her Tiranga Pasta. With India's Independence Day (August 15th) right around the corner, this patriot dish celebrates the orange, white and green colours of the Indian flag.



I think/hope I got everyone's entries! Thank you to everyone for participating in this week's roundup!

Kudos to Ruth for initiating and continuing to organize such a great weekly event. To view all of the previous 125 roundups, check out this link. Next week's host with be Katie from One Little Corner of the World.

Fettucini Pescatora

I'm not Italian so whenever I hear of a pasta pescatora it always has this allure of a Shirley Valentine scene with me sitting at an ocean side table, a candle, a glass of white wine and a wonderful plate of pescatora. Then I open my eyes and find myself in my own Toronto kitchen making tomato and seafood pasta and somehow it just isn't the same. UNTIL.... you taste it. It's not that often that I do a hip hip hurray routine for a dish but this one ... it's really something else.

Motivated by Ruth of Once Upon a Feast and this week's charming, witty, efficient, kind and generous host Psychgrad of Equal Opportunity Kitchen I wanted to submit this dish for Presto Pasta Nights.






Ingredients

8 oz pkg of rice fettucini (you could use a different pasta)
1/2 cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic, sliced
6-8 manilla clams **
6 sea scallops
8-10 raw shrimp, peeled and de-veined
1 1/2 cup diced tomatoes (or tomato sauce if you want the sauce thicker)
1/2 -3/4 cup dry white wine (the 3/4 is if you want a runnier sauce)
1 tsp dried oregano (you could use fresh)
1/4 tsp dried chili flakes
coarse black pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley

Method

1. If you're using rice pasta, immerse into boiling water, let boil 2 minutes and then cover for 15 minutes until done.
2. In a large skillet, add the 1/2 cup olive oil (if you use too much less the garlic will burn) and add the garlic until golden brown (but not burned)
3. Add the clam for about 1 minute.
4. Add tomatoes, wine, oregano, pepper flakes and pepper. Stir occasionally and reduce til it becomes a little thicker. If you're using tomato sauce instead of diced tomatoes, your sauce will be thicker and ok to add some more liquid if too thick. When the clams begin to open...
5. Add the shrimp and scallops and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Don't let the shrimp or the scallops overcook.
6. Drain pasta and add it to your seafood/sauce combination. Top with parsley and voila...heaven.

This is really a great company dish and a total no brainer to prepare.

** Although I love clams, it doesn't seem to matter how much I clean them, I can't seem to escape some of the grit.

Note to Psychgrad: Although you didn't solicit all the compliments, I figure there should be some compensation somehow (other than the fact that you're my daughter) :)

Spaghetti with Cajun Chicken

One more day to get your pasta recipes in for this week's Presto Pasta Nights roundup! Check out this post for more details.


I picked up some colourful pasta this weekend at La Bottega, with Presto Pasta Nights in mind.


Not as cool as Zebra Pasta, but a step above the usual whole wheat stuff.


Spaghetti with Cajun Chicken
Free Online Recipes


Ingredients:
3/4lb angel hair pasta (cooked) (I used spaghetti)
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (cut into strips) (I used 2 breast halves)
2 tablespoons fresh garlic (chopped)
2 tablespoons dried basil
2 tablespoons Cajun-style blackened seasoning (I used this cajun spice)
salt and pepper (to taste)
10 roma tomatoes (diced) (I used a large can of diced tomatoes)
2/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

Step 1: Heat olive oil in a large skillet, to medium-high heat. Add chicken pieces and fry until brown on the outside. Stir in basil, garlic, blackened seasoning, salt and pepper. Mix in tomatoes. Cook until tomatoes are semi soft and the chicken is fully cooked.
Step 2: Toss with noodles and top with crumbled feta cheese.
(Makes 5 Servings)


Overall, a good dish. Makes for a quick and simple meal.

Presto Pasta Nights!

Guess who is hosting PRESTO PASTA NIGHTS this week?!?

If you're making a pasta dish, consider submitting it to be part of this great weekly event, initiated by Ruth of Once Upon a Feast. Presto Pasta Nights is currently in its 126th week.

If you're interested in participating, send me your post at bloggingwagon (at) hotmail (dot) com and cc ruth (at) 4everykitchen (dot) com. If you're not familiar with the event, check out this link for more details.

Hope you can participate!

Zebra Pasta

As much as things change, they stay the same. I know, I know, it doesn't seem to make alot of sense. Remember being a small child (or having one) and seeing something you just HAD to have. Mommy mommy, puleeeeeez can I have it? I NEEEEED it! Although I must add here that Psychgrad was never like that but Actor Boy...well, he neeeeeeded everything and wanted everything and all of it was life and death at that particular moment. Now when we remind him he'll just say .. "Oh yes, and Psychgrad - she's the golden child". Good there's no sibling rivalry in my house.

Well, maybe Actor Boy gets his drama queen qualities from his mother (did I really say that?) But then...I guess that's why he's also an actor. Right. Getting back to point. I saw this zebra pasta and I went through one of those moments where I really needed to have this pasta. Am I the only one that thinks it's so very cool? I suspect that when Psychgrad heard my exuberance her response would have been "ok mom...whatever...it's nice".



I had no idea what to do with it so I made it up as I went along and the result was pretty interesting (in a good way).

Ingredients

1 pkg zebra pasta (probably only found in gourmet stores)
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 red pepper, sliced
2 portabello mushroom, sliced
2 anchovies
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
splash (or two) of balsamic vinegar

Boil the pasta until done. This pasta seems to cook much faster than normal bowtie pasta (about 8-9 minutes. Drain (I rinsed it so it wouldn't stick together)
In a medium size saucepan, let the anchovies melt down; add pepper, mushroom and cherry tomatoes

About half way through frying the vegetables, add balsamic vinegar and continue to cook for about 5 minutes. Add to pasta; top with feta cheese.

Note: I think you could add anything to this pasta and it would be delicious.



I'm sending this entry over to Amy of Very Culinary , our host for this weeks Presto Pasta Nights .

Pancetta: Tortiglioni vs. Orcheiette

Remember the Italian store? The one that started off as a place R didn't want to go into and would wait outside, in frustration... Next step was R coming in the store with me. Week after that, I heard he stopped in while I was out of town (visiting Giz) because it was on his way. Since then, it has been his weekly weekend walk. He makes the 1 hours walk (there and back) to buy buns and lunchmeat for his lunches for the week. Lately, he has been getting pancetta. You can see another pancetta recipes here.

These TWO recipes contain many of the same ingredients, but vary whether it is white wine- or tomato-based. One recipe includes crushed tomatoes and the other chopped. Play with these ingredients, adding herbs and other veggies as you see fit. It makes for a great meal (and leftovers).

Ingredients

2.5 inches pancetta (spicy)
500 g Orcheiette (or any pasta of your choosing)
1 cup of white wine
16 oz crushed tomato
3-4 tomatoes
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 shallots, finely chopped
tomatoes, chopped
pepper, parsley, basil, oregano (fresh or dried), chopped
parmesan cheese, to taste

Chop the pancetta into small cube shapes. Pan fry them (careful to not burn them). Once pancetta cubes are close to being done, remove and place in papertowel to absorb the fat (that's what I do). In the same pan, fry the garlic and onion, mixing continously. After a minute or so, add the wine and let reduce some. Add the remainder of your ingredients. Once a few minutes from completion, return the pancetta to the pan. Add the herbs. Plate with shredded parmesan cheese over top.

Here's the crushed tomato base:

Tortiglioni Pancetta

Here's the white wine base:

Orcheiette Pancetta

This dish is being sent to Katie at One Little Corner of the World. I've been following Katie's blog for a while now (not in a stalkerish kind of way). Definitely check out her site! Katie is hosting this week's Presto Pasta Night!

So -Which dish would you prefer???

Note: the top picture of tomatoes comes from Tomato Mania.

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I also wanted to take a second to help spread the word about the third round of Adopt a Blogger.

Kristen at Dine and Dish, who blogs about her recipes, family, daily experiences and the pregnancy of her 4th child, is taking the time to host the third Adopt a Blogger event. We've participated in the first two as a newbie blogger, paired with Redacted Recipes and as a veteran blogger, paired with Hopie's Kitchen.

We're excited to receive a new adoptive blog. Hopie - are you ready for an adoptive sibling?

As you can imagine, there are many newbie bloggers. But there is still need for more veteran foodbloggers. If you're interested in being paired with a new food blogger, let Kristen know. It's a nice way of getting to know other people in the community.