This recipe was taken from the amazing Jamie Oliver VEG cookbook. It is a definite family favourite in my house that can be served in many different ways. The gnocchi is also perfect to freeze once it is cooked. All you have to do is to place the gnocchi in ice water after boiling too cool it. Then dry them on a kitchen towel and drizzle some olive oil over them so that they don’t stick together. Now place them in small containers for the freezer and remove when needed.

It is important however to cook the gnocchi straight away after making them, otherwise they become soft and they will stick together.

This recipe is great to get the kids involved in cooking by doing the smashing and the rolling!

Serves: 4

Ingedients:

• 500g peeled and diced potatoes
• 500g peeled and diced butternut squash
• 100g strong flour, plus some for dusting.
• Basil pesto
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Parmesan cheese

Method:

Bring potatoes and butternut squash to the boil in salted water and simmer for 15 minutes until cooked. Drain and spread on a baking tray to dry and cool. Once cooled, place it in a tea towel and squeeze out any excess liquid. It is important to get the mix as dry as possible.

Now place the mix in a bowl and mash it with a potato masher to get it nice and fine. Add the flour and season with salt and pepper. Knead the mixture together on a floured surface for a couple of minutes and divide into 4 equal parts. Roll each one on the floured surface into a long sausage shape. Cut it into equal size pieces, about 1.5cm thick.

Cook the gnocchi in two batches in a big pot of boiling salted water. As soon as they start floating, they are ready! If you add to much at a time, the water temperature will drop, and all the gnocchi will get stuck together. Remove from the water with a slotted spoon. It is at this stage that you can cool them and freeze them as described above.

Heat a pan and fry the gnocchi in olive oil until golden brown, then add a spoon of pesto and serve with shavings of parmesan cheese.