• Preheat oven to bake at 200°C.
• Cut the pumpkin in half lengthwise, remove the seeds and place on a lined baking tray with the thyme. Drizzle with olive oil, then generously season with salt and pepper.
• Place the pumpkin cut side down on the tray, then roast for 1 hour or until soft. Let cool slightly.
• When cool enough to handle, spoon out the pumpkin flesh and push through a sieve into a bowl.
• Add the parmesan to the bowl of pumpkin and mix to combine.
• Then add in flour, ½ cup at a time until the dough just comes together. It should hold its shape but will still be quite soft and may still be a little sticky* (see notes and images above about this step) You don’t want to add too much flour or mix too much otherwise it will make it tough doughy gnocchi. 
• Transfer the dough to a well-floured surface. Then divide the dough into 8 and gently roll each portion into a thin sausage-like log about 2 ½ - 3 cm thick. Flour as needed to prevent it from sticking.
• Cut each log into 1 ½ cm pieces.
• Working in batches, cook the gnocchi in well-salted boiling water. When they float to the surface, this indicates they are almost done. Allow them to cook for a further minute then remove from the water with a slotted spoon and then rinse in cold running water. Set aside.

Assembly

• Heat 2 tsp oil in a frypan over medium-high heat. Add in onions and cook until just starting to colour (3-5 minutes), before adding in the bacon.
• Cook until the bacon begins to colour and onions start to soften, about 5 minutes or so. Remove from the heat, transfer to a dish and set aside.
• Using the same frypan, heat 1 tbsp of oil over medium-high heat.
• Pan-fry the gnocchi until golden.
• Add in the pesto, spinach, cooked bacon and onion. Cook for a few minutes just to heat through then remove from the heat.   
• Garnish with toasted pinenuts and fresh basil leaves.
• Enjoy while still nice and hot!