Italian-Japanese fusion ❤
Kabocha gnocchi!

Oven roasted kabocha makes up the sauce base for this gnocchi with pan seared fennel, roasted garlic, cannellini beans and arugula!

I wasn’t sure about this at first but it came together well and has really interesting complementary flavors.

Recipe:

  • 1 kabocha squash
  • 1 package of gnocchi
  • 1 cup fennel bulb, diced
  • 1 bulb garlic
  • 1/2 can cannellini beans
  • Two handfuls arugula, roughly torn apart
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • Olive oil
  • Shiso rice seasoning, black sesame seeds, basil and sage

To prepare:

  1. Heat oven to 375ºF/190ºC
  2. Cut kabocha in sections and brush with olive oil
  3. Slice the top off the bulb of garlic and place in foil, drizzle with olive oil to generously cover it, wrap in completely in foil.
  4. Put squash and garlic in the oven at the same time.
  5. Dice fennel, heat cast iron pan, add oil, and cook until tender and lightly seared. Add seasonings and stir well. Set aside, off heat.
  6. Turn squash half way through. (About 10-15 min) Start pasta water.
  7. Juice lemon. When squash is tender and browned, remove it and garlic from oven to cool.
  8. Once cool, scoop squash out of rind and into a bowl with the roasted garlic (pull out each clove and pinch to pop out or cut open). Roughly cut up with a knife so no large pieces remain.
  9. Cook gnocchi as instructed, then drain. Add squash and garlic, fennel, arugula, lemon juice and a bit of olive oil. Stir gently but thoroughly over heat until warm.
  10. Serve with black sesame seeds and extra shiso leaves if desired.
  11. Enjoy!