Lightly caramelised pumpkin pairs with buttery nuts, earthy sage and smoky bacon in this comforting, no-fuss dish. Tossed with pillowy-soft and ready-made gnocchi, bowls will be piled high with this richly flavoured and delightfully rustic new favourite.
Preheat oven to 200°C fan-forced. Peel pumpkin and cut into 3cm pieces. Place in a large roasting dish, drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 25 minutes or until pumpkin is starting to turn golden and caramelise.
Cook gnocchi in a saucepan of salted, boiling water for 2–3 minutes or until they rise to the surface. Drain, reserving 30ml (1 1⁄2 tablespoons) cooking water.
Cut the bacon into 5cm pieces. Add to pumpkin and scatter over the walnuts. Return to the oven for a further 10 minutes, or until bacon is crisp.
Pick sage leaves from their stems. Remove pumpkin from oven. Add cooked gnocchi and sage leaves to roasting dish and mix to coat in pumpkin and bacon mixture. Chop butter into small pieces and scatter over the top. Pour over cream. Return to oven and cook for a further 5 minutes or until cream has reduced slightly.
Remove from oven and squeeze over lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.
Gently stir to combine so the pumpkin breaks up a little and becomes lightly mashed to coat the gnocchi. Divide between bowls and scatter with parmesan to serve.