Butternut soup with butternut gnocchi

Preparation method

1. For the soup, heat 125g/4½oz of the butter in a large saucepan and fry the onion and garlic for 3-4 minutes, or until translucent.

2. Add the butternut squash and fry for a further 2-3 minutes. Cover with the vegetable stock, bring to the boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the butternut squash is tender. Blend the soup in a food processor until smooth and pass through a fine sieve into a clean pan.

3. For the beurre noisette, heat the butter and pine nuts in a saucepan until golden-brown. Add the rosemary and sherry vinegar and remove from heat.

4. For butternut squash gnocchi, preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.

5. Place the chopped squash onto a large sheet of aluminium foil, wrap it into a parcel and cook in the oven 20-25 minutes. Set aside to cool then blend in a food processor until smooth.

6. Meanwhile bake the potatoes into the oven for 1 hour, or until tender in the middle. Once cooked, pass the potato flesh through a fine sieve.

7. Mix 300g/11oz potato with 75g/3oz butternut until well combined. (Use any leftover potato and butternut squash in another recipe.)

8. Add the cheese, egg yolk and add the flour to the potato. Mix until well combined to form a dough.

9. Knead the dough gently for a couple of minutes then roll out into sausages about 1cm/½in thick. Cut the sausages into pieces 2.5cm/1in long. Press each gnocchi with the tines of a floured fork and place onto a lightly floured tray.

10. Cook the gnocchi for 1-2 minutes in boiling salted water or until they float to the top. Drain and set aside.

11. Melt the butter in a frying pan and fry the gnocchi until golden-brown on all sides

12. Heat a separate frying pan until hot, add the remaining 50g/2oz butter and the chard and cook for 1-2 minutes, or until it has wilted.

13. Meanwhile softly poach the eggs in simmering water for 2-3 minutes.

    Technique: How to poach an egg

14. To serve, reheat the soup and stir in the cream. Arrange the gnocchi and chard in serving bowls, ladle over the soup and place an egg on top. Grate over a little Berkswell cheese and spoon the beurre noisette and pumpkin seeds around.

Less than 30 mins preparation time

30 mins to 1 hour cooking time

Serves 4