Gnocchi with pumpkin sauce and sage pesto

Method

1. 1
   Preheat the oven to 220 °C. Halve the pumpkin, remove the seeds and fibrous interior, and place the pumpkin cut-side down on a baking tray lined with baking parchment. Cut the top off the garlic, drizzle the bulb with the oil and wrap it in aluminium foil. Roast for 30-35 min. until the pumpkin is tender.

   Start 35:00 timer
2. 2
   Meanwhile, toast the almonds for 3 min. in a frying pan without oil or butter. Grate the Pecorino Romano. Scrub the lemon clean, grate the yellow zest from the fruit and squeeze it.

   Start 3:00 timer
3. 3
   Put the sage leaves, parsley, thyme, toasted almonds, 40 g cheese, 2 tsp lemon juice, the lemon zest and 2 tsp oil in the food processor. Add a little extra oil and blend into a coarse pesto.
4. 4
   Cook the gnocchi according to the instructions on the packet. Drain and reserve 300 ml cooking water.
5. 5
   Remove the baking tray from the oven, turn the pumpkin over, remove the foil from the garlic and leave both to cool for 15-20 min. Remove the skin from the pumpkin. Squeeze the garlic out of its skin and purée it with the pumpkin, single cream and the remaining cheese in the food processor until smooth. Season with pepper and salt if needed.

   Start 20:00 timer
6. 6
   Warm the pumpkin sauce over a low heat. Stir in the gnocchi and heat for 1-2 min. Stir in half of the reserved cooking water until the sauce is deliciously creamy and clings to the gnocchi.

   Start 2:00 timer
7. 7
   Divide the gnocchi, burratine and sage pesto between plates.