Pumpkin gnocchi

SERVES 4 // HANDS-ON 40 min // HANDS-OFF 45 min

INGREDIENTS
500g peeled and roughly chopped pumpkin
Olive oil, to drizzle
Salt and pepper
250–500 ml flour
½ tsp nutmeg
45–75g butter
10 sage leaves
6–8 streaky bacon rashers, roughly chopped
2 chicken breast fillets, chopped

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Drizzle the pumpkin with oil and season. Roast for 30–45 minutes, until cooked. Blend until smooth.
3. Mix 250 ml flour, nutmeg, salt and pepper. On a work surface, form into a mound with a well  in the centre.
4. Pour the puréed pumpkin into the well and start to work the flour into it, forming a dough. Depending on the liquidness of the pumpkin, you may need to add the remaining 250 ml flour.
5. Knead the dough briefly, then divide into 3 pieces. Roll each piece into a cylinder and cut it into 1½ cm pieces. Lightly press each piece with a fork.
6. Bring a pot of salted water to the boil. Drop in the gnocchi in batches, so they are not too crowded. They are cooked when they float to the top. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a greased baking tray.
7. Heat a little butter in a pan and fry the boiled gnocchi with the sage leaves, until browned. Add more butter to form a sauce.
8. In another pan, fry the bacon until crispy, then remove. Fry chicken until cooked through and slightly brown. Return the bacon to the pan and toss to mix with the chicken, ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper.
9. Add the gnocchi to the bacon and chicken, and serve.

Pumpkin bread

MAKES 1 loaf // HANDS-ON 20 min // HANDS-OFF 2 hours

INGREDIENTS
80 ml milk, lukewarm
5g yeast
½ tsp sugar
180 ml pumpkin purée (±225g pumpkin)
1 egg
2 tbsp butter, melted
½ tsp salt
750 ml flour

METHOD
1. Whisk milk, yeast and sugar in a bowl. Set aside until foamy.
2. In a separate bowl, combine pumpkin purée, egg, melted butter and salt.
3. Add 250 ml flour to the yeast mixture, mixing well, then add the pumpkin mixture. Add the rest of the flour, 60 ml at a time, mixing until a dough forms.
4. Knead for 5–10 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Place in an oiled bowl and leave to proof for 1–2 hours, until doubled in size.
5. Punch down and shape into a long loaf. Slash the top 5 times across the breadth. Cover and leave to double in size again.
6. Preheat oven to 200°C. Bake for 35–45 minutes, until bread is golden brown.

Pumpkin-cauli casserole

SERVES 4 // HANDS-ON 20 min

INGREDIENTS
500g peeled and chopped pumpkin
½ cauliflower, broken into florets
3 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 tsp mixed garlic and herb seasoning
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
500 ml milk
½ cube vegetable or chicken stock
125 ml breadcrumbs

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 200°C.
2. Place pumpkin and cauli in a roasting tin, drizzle with 2 tbsp oil and season with 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, and 1 tsp garlic and herbs. Roast for 20–30 minutes, until tender and a little charred.
3. Mix butter and flour in a pot over medium heat, stirring until a paste forms. Add the milk and ½ stock cube, whisking until the sauce thickens. Season to taste. If there are any lumps, pass the sauce through a sieve.
4. Fry the breadcrumbs in 1 tbsp oil until light brown.
5. Place the roast vegetables in an ovenproof dish, pour the white sauce over and sprinkle with the breadcrumbs. Bake for 10–15 minutes, until bubbling and golden.