Wash and dry all vegetables and set aside

Cube the squash by doing the following:  Cut the top and bottom off, cut the neck off, cut the skin off (saving as much meat as possible), cut in half the long way and remove seeds, and then cut into 1 inch cubes. Set aside until cook time.

Slice the fennel. Cut off the green parts and set aside for the topping. Then, cut off the bottom, as it is very hard. Slice the rest very thinly like an onion, and set aside until cook time.

Slice sage. You want tiny little strips, so cut the short way across the leaves about 1/6 an inch thick. Set aside until cook time.

Grate cheese and set aside until needed for the topping 

Toss the pecans with the cinnamon and sugars in a bowl (you can use the bowl you will later use for your dough)

Place the spiced pecans on a baking sheet and place in the oven for 7 minutes. Watch carefully to ensure it does not burn (pecans burn really fast, if you see them going dark brown pull it out). Set aside for topping later

Prep the meat (skip this for vegetarian version). Cut the bacon into quarter inch strips, and set aside until cook time. 

Wash your board with soap and hot water and let it dry. You will need the board later to roll the gnocchi. 

In a large sauté pan, heat olive oil on medium and add squash, cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove

Once squash can be cut easily with a fork you can add them to the mixing bowl.

Mix squash with a potato masher or wooden spoon until it resembles paste

Let mixture cool, since you’ll be using your hands in the next step

Add flour to mixing bowl and mix to combine (do not mix heavily - we do not want gluten to form) 

Once combined, use your hands to form it into a ball and then a cylinder

Flour your cutting board 

Tear the cylinder into 4 pieces, this will make it easier to roll out

Roll each cylinder until it is about as thin as your thumb

Using your knife, cut pieces off the cylinder, about ½ inch long

Optional but traditional: use the tines of a fork and press 1/4th of the way into each top to give them little ridges

Add bacon to sauté pan and cook on medium. We want the fat to render since we’re going to use it.

Add to bacon and set aside until topping (just set to side for vegetarian version)

Bring a large stock pot to boil 

Boil gnocchi in batches, about 7 minutes a batch (do a taste test - they should NOT taste like raw flour if cooked through)

Drain gnocchi and add to serving dish 

Add butter to a small saucepan and cook on medium high until it starts to turn brown (about 5-10 minutes) 

Add sage in and remove from heat (the butter will fry the sage) 

Set aside for topping

Add bacon fennel mixture, butter sage mix, and half the pecans to the gnocchi and mix

Add the parmesan on top and do not mix

Add the remaining pecans and do not mix 

Chiffonade (ribbon cut) the basil and top the dish with it. To chiffonade, stack the leaves together, roll them up tight, and slice thinly to create ribbons 

Tear the the soft green fennel (that looks like dill) and top the dish 

Crack some black pepper to taste

Serve