Acorn Squash Gnnochi in Brown Butter and Basil Sauce

This is the perfect fall/winter side dish! The gnocchi is fluffy and light and the squash makes it sweet. (I forgot to add the potatoes in the picture.) This is a bit of a hassle to make, however it is totally worth it. I recommend this for any thanksgiving dinner or fancy meal you want to impress someone with.

Acorn Squash Gnocchi
Ingredients:
4 russet potatoes
1 egg
2 1/2 cup flour (plus extra for rolling the dough)
1 acorn squash

Directions:
Set an oven to 350 degrees. Cut the acorn squash in half, placing on a baking sheet and spraying with non-stick spray. Roast the acorn squash for 45 minutes. While the squash is roasting, place a large pot of water on the stove and allow the water to boil. Salt the water and add the potatoes. Boil the potatoes for 45 minutes. (This works really well!) Allow the squash and potatoes to cool. Once cool, take a fork and scrape the insides of the squash out and place in a large mixing bowl. Do the same with the cooled potatoes. (The skins of the potatoes come off very easily due to the boiling process.) Add salt and pepper and mash the potato and squash mixture until smooth. Add one egg and the flour 1/2 cup at a time to incorporate everything nicely. Once it forms a dough consistency, flour a cooking surface. Take a hand full of dough and place on floured surface. Roll out the dough like you are 5 and it's play-doh and you are trying to make a snake. Make the dough about the same size as your thumb. Cut the dough into 1 inch pieces. Place on a LARGE plate and continue with the rest of the dough. (If you put it in a bowl the dough will stick to itself and you're just going to have another bowl of dough and wasted all that time making 1 inch thumb snakes.) Halfway through this dough rolling process, fill a large pot full of water and allow the water to boil. Place the about 15-20 gnocchi in to the boiling water at a time. Allow all of the gnocchi to float to the top before taking out with a spoon with holes to drain the water out. Place in serving bowl. Continue with the rest of the gnocchi until finished.

Brown Butter and Basil Sauce
Ingredients:
1 stick of butter
30 basil leaves chopped
2 tablespoons light brown sugar

Directions: In a large pot (you can use the same pot you used to boil the gnocchi in) set heat to simmering and place the stick of butter in the pot and allow to melt. Add sugar and stir to combine. Add basil. Add gnocchi, gently tossing the pasta. Place gnocchi back in the serving dish and enjoy!