Acorn Squash Gnocchi with Sorrel Hazelnut Pesto

vegetarian, vegan option // serves 6

Acorn squash gnocchi, sorrel hazelnut pesto, roasted acorn squash, sage browned butter. This is the second dish in my 2021 Series of Five Sustainable Dishes, a project supported by the Stanford Office of the Vice President for the Arts. The series is a personal exploration of the various meanings of sustainability in food. My goal with it is to consider some angles from which food and food products can be considered “good for the environment”.

Here, acorn squash and potatoes make for a pillowy, nutty, and floral gnocchi. The gnocchi is then fried lightly in a hazelnut and sage-infused brown butter. Acorn squash is roasted until caramelized, then brushed with maple syrup and olive oil. All served on a bed of sorrel and hazelnut pesto with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese, chopped toasted pignolias and hazelnuts, and a drizzle of olive oil. The sorrel pesto is punchy and rich, with a lemony tang. This dish is vegetarian, but can be made vegan with a few substitutes. Recipe for the sorrel hazelnut pesto adapted from Sabrina Currie’s West Coast Kitchen and Garden. Recipe for acorn squash gnocchi adapted from Lidia Bastianich on Bon Appétit.

Vegetarianism and veganism are two of the most widely acknowledged ways to live sustainably in the United States, thanks to their emergence as practices in 1960s counterculture and their re-popularization in the 2010s. In the recipe for my first dish (Lime Roasted Beets and Mushroom Fonio), I shared that eating plant-based has a lower carbon footprint than the average diet. But I also said that CO2 emissions are just one part of a larger picture in measuring the impact of food on the environment. Water, land, and energy use are also useful metrics.

The bulk of this dish comes from acorn squash and potatoes. Most vegetables have low water use in their production phase compared to animal products. However, root vegetables (like potatoes) and squash (including the acorn variety) clock in with the lowest water requirement of them all. These plants establish extensive root systems and can draw moisture from deep in the soil, thus requiring less water to raise to harvest. Fruits and vegetables also have much lower land use compared to animal products. Meanwhile, the energy use of fruits and vegetables in the United States may surprise you, as there is little meaningful difference between the energy intensity of animal-derived foods relative to fruits and vegetables. Modern crop systems are highly industrialized, relying on fertilizers, pesticides, tillage, and other agronomic practices that require machinery and fuel.

Well, that’s water and land—what about energy? Any automatic assumption that eating vegetables is less energy-intensive is part of the reason why eating locally to reduce energy and resource use is as popular as it is, even though far-flung production systems are often more efficient, or why almond milk is a popular non-dairy milk among people who claim environmental reasons for veganism, even when it incurs a high water usage relative to alternatives. That’s not to say eating locally or drinking almond milk aren’t doing good for the environment. Eating locally allows us to enjoy peak nutrition and flavor from produce that’s suitable for growing in the particular local climate, avoid emissions from long-haul transportation, plus it’s great for supporting regional artisans and small farmers with highly specialized knowledge of how to steward their land. Almond milk is still way less resource intensive to produce than animal milk. But, it’s sometimes good to know the facts.

Some notes on the veganization of this dish:

1. Earth Balance claims that their vegan butter will brown, but in my experience, it can pop erratically on the stovetop, and the flavor isn’t satisfactory either. So, I melt the product, then infuse it with hazelnuts for a nutty flavor. Considering browned butter in French is beurre noisette (meaning hazelnut butter), this isn’t so far-fetched!

2. The gnocchi calls for quite a bit of parmesan, so I suggest using a vegan analog for parmesan (rather than omitting it or using nutritional yeast). The pesto, on the other hand, can be made with nutritional yeast.

3. You can try using a flax egg instead of JUST Egg to bind the gnocchi dough.

Product spotlight:

Violife Foods: Just like Parmesan wedge
Earth Balance: Vegan Buttery Sticks
JUST Egg: JUST Egg
Misfits Market: acorn squash, pantry staples
Gourmet Sweet Botanicals: silver leaf sorrel; gold, purple, and tricolor sage tops

what you need:

for the acorn squash gnocchi:

• 1 lb acorn squash

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 12-oz russet potato, peeled and quartered

• ½ cup parmesan, finely grated. for a vegan option, use Violife Just like Parmesan wedge.

• 1 egg, beaten. for a vegan option, use JUST Egg or a flax egg (1 tbsp ground flax plus 2 ½ tbsp water, mix and let sit until gummy).

• 1 tsp ground nutmeg

• ½ tsp kosher salt

• about 1 ½ cups AP flour (or as needed)

for the sorrel hazelnut pesto:

• ¼ cup pine nuts, toasted

• ⅛ cup walnuts, toasted

• ⅛ cup hazelnuts, toasted

• ½ tsp kosher salt

• 1 clove garlic

• 1 cup sorrel leaves, lightly packed. my favorite is silver leaf sorrel, which I get from Gourmet Sweet Botanicals.

• ¾ cup basil, lightly packed

• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil, or as needed

• 1 tsp lemon zest

• ¾ cup parmesan, finely grated. for a vegan option, use Violife Just like Parmesan wedge or nutritional yeast (add a little at a time to adjust the flavor to your preference).

for the maple glazed acorn squash:

• about 12 half-moon wedges of acorn squash, from making the gnocchi

• maple syrup

• extra virgin olive oil

• pinch of salt

for the sage browned butter sauce (by the portion, 16-20 gnocchi):

• ⅛ cup (¼ stick) unsalted butter. for a vegan option, use Earth Balance unsalted buttery sticks and see additional instructions.

• 6 medium sage leaves

• ½ tbsp pine nuts, chopped

• ½ tbsp hazelnuts, chopped

• salt to taste

• pepper to taste

optional, to decorate:

• microgreens: silver leaf sorrel; gold, purple, and tricolor sage tops

how to make it:

to make the acorn squash gnocchi:

1. preheat oven to 400 F.

2. cut acorn squash in half, discard seeds. cut squash into half-moon wedges about ½ in thick.

3. transfer wedges to baking tray and coat lightly with olive oil. spread evenly.

4. bake squash until tender and blistered, about 35 min, flipping halfway through.

5. while squash are baking, boil potatoes in salted boiling water until very tender, about 25 min.

6. squash should be ready now. remove from oven and allow to cool.

7. potatoes should be ready now. drain potatoes and mash or pass through a ricer. measure out 2 cups of potato and add to a large mixing bowl.

8. back to the squash: reserve about 12 wedges (choose the pretty ones) and set aside.

9. with the rest, remove the peels and add flesh to a bowl. mash roughly. it’s okay to have some chunks and skins in there. measure out 1 cup of squash and add to bowl with potatoes from step 7. (if you come up short, just sacrifice some of the reserved pretty wedges. apologize to them for the false hope.)

10. add parmesan, egg, nutmeg, and salt into the mixing bowl with the squash and potatoes. mash to incorporate.

11. gradually add flour (you may need more or less than the amount listed), mixing with a wooden spoon and then your hands, until a soft dough forms. divide dough into 8 equal pieces.

12. working with one piece at a time (keep the others loosely covered under a clean towel or plastic wrap): roll into a log, about ¾ inch thick. we are making generous, chunky gnocchi today. with a knife or bench scraper, cut into gnocchi about 1 inch long pieces.

13. roll each gnocchi against the back of fork tines dipped in flour to create ridges. place formed gnocchi on a lined baking sheet.

14. continue until all gnocchi are formed.

15. transfer covered baking sheets into the fridge. chill for a minimum of 30 minutes.

TIP: make ahead for easy meal prep. refrigerate up to eight hours in advance, or freeze to store for up to a few months. cook as directed straight from fridge or freezer.

to make the sorrel hazelnut pesto:

1. add pine nuts, walnuts, and hazelnuts into food processor, pulse to chop roughly.

2. add garlic and salt to food processor, pulse until nuts are finely ground.

3. add the sorrel and basil into the food processor, pulse a few times to combine.

4. add the olive oil gradually, pulsing all the while, until incorporated.

5. stir in lemon zest and parmesan and season to taste.

6. if not using within 30 min, transfer to an airtight jar and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

to make the maple glazed acorn squash:

1. combine equal parts maple syrup and extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt.

2. brush mixture onto the sides of your reserved acorn squash wedges. set aside.

to make the sage browned butter:

1. in a heavy skillet over medium low heat, melt butter.

2. cook the butter over medium heat until just starting to brown, about 3 min. if using Earth Balance vegan buttery sticks: the product does brown, but it sputters erratically on the stovetop and the final flavor isn’t great either. skip this step and go directly to the next.

3. add sage, pine nuts, and hazelnuts to the butter. continue browning on medium heat. for Earth Balance: allow to sizzle and infuse on low heat for about 5 min.

TIP: recall that the amounts listed for the sage browned butter are per portion, 16-20 gnocchi. if needed, multiply the amounts by the number of portions you are making, but keep in mind the butter will take longer to brown.

to cook and finish the gnocchi:

1. remove gnocchi from fridge or freezer. if your pesto is in the fridge, bring it out and let it come to room temp.

2. bring a large pot of water to boil and lightly salt. working in batches, add the gnocchi. do not overcrowd the pot. stir gently.

3. cook until the gnocchi float, then 2 additional minutes. remove with a slotted spoon and add straight into pan with browned butter.

4. cook in butter until lightly browned, about 5 min.

5. remove from heat and season with salt and pepper.

to serve:

add a layer of pesto to the bottom of a shallow bowl. add your hot gnocchi on top of the pesto. rest 2 wedges of maple glazed acorn squash against the pile of gnocchi. garnish with chopped toasted pine nuts and hazelnuts, shaved parmesan, and additional sage and sorrel leaves. finish with a drizzle of olive oil and enjoy.