Ingredients

• 500 g Potato gnocchi
• 1 medium Butternut squash
• 300 g Mild or hot Italian sausage (casings removed)
• 1 medium Yellow onion
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 250 ml Vegetable or chicken broth
• 125 ml Heavy cream (35%)
• 100 g Smoked cheese (Smoked Scamorza or Smoked Provolone)
• 50 g Grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons Olive oil
• 8-10 large Fresh sage leaves
• 1 teaspoon Smoked paprika
• 0.25 teaspoon Grated nutmeg
• to taste Salt
• to taste Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F). Peel and dice the butternut squash into approximately 2 cm cubes. Toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 20-25 minutes, or until tender and slightly caramelized.

2. 2

   Meanwhile, finely chop the onion and garlic. Roughly chop 4-5 sage leaves and keep the rest whole. Grate the smoked cheese and Parmesan.

3. 3

   In a large oven-safe skillet (or a regular skillet to be transferred to a baking dish), heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the crumbled Italian sausage (casings removed) and brown, breaking it up with a spoon, for about 5-7 minutes. Remove the sausage from the skillet and set aside, leaving some rendered fat in the pan.

4. 4

   Add the chopped onion to the skillet and sauté until translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add the minced garlic and chopped sage, cooking for another minute until fragrant.

5. 5

   Pour in the broth and scrape the bottom of the pan to deglaze. Add the roasted squash, smoked paprika, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Simmer gently for 5 minutes. Stir in the heavy cream and the reserved sausage. Adjust seasoning as needed.

6. 6

   While the sauce simmers, cook the gnocchi according to package directions (usually 2-3 minutes in boiling salted water). Drain them and add directly to the sauce in the skillet. Gently mix to coat the gnocchi evenly.

7. 7

   Distribute the gnocchi mixture evenly in the skillet (if oven-safe) or transfer to a baking dish. Generously sprinkle with grated smoked cheese and a few whole sage leaves on top.

8. 8

   Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, golden, and bubbling. Let rest for a few minutes before serving, optionally sprinkled with a bit of grated Parmesan.