Stuffed spaghetti squash
Sometimes squash can be . They are weird looking, require a huge knife to hack them open, and then take hours in the oven to roast and soften. Spaghetti squash are the smoothest of the squash family. Their flesh, when cooked, breaks apart in strings not unlike angel hair pasta. But don鈥檛 be fooled. It is still a squash.
I just learned a great squash trick. You can soften a squash in 8 minutes in the microwave. Yes. Just halve it, scoop out the seeds, cover it in plastic wrap and nuke for 8 minutes. You鈥檒l want to let it rest a bit so you don鈥檛 scald your fingers when you remove the plastic wrap.
听I know. Something about 鈥減lastic wrap鈥� and 鈥渘uke鈥� doesn鈥檛 seem quite right. You can always pop the squash into the oven for about听 an hour at 375 degrees F. face down on a rimmed baking sheet with a bit of water. Up to you. I rarely have the patience to wait an hour for my dinner by time I get home, especially if it is a night after swim practice.
A few days ago, I spotted a 2 lb. spaghetti squash at the corner market, a perfect size when cooking for one. So when I had just a half hour for dinner the other night before I needed to be out the door I knew it was a good night for stuffed spaghetti squash.
The other culinary quick step I鈥檝e been enjoying lately is Italian sausage. It鈥檚 an easy-to-cook menu item that adds flavor and can be portioned without a lot of fuss.
While the squash was spinning around in the microwave I cooked up onions, garlic, zucchini, summer squash, apples, and an Italian sausage on the stove top with some dried sage and marinara sauce. Then I added the squash, put the whole thing back into the squash skin, covered in it freshly grated cheese and popped it in the oven. About 15 minutes later, dinner was ready.
It was delicious, warm, and had all the best flavors of fall. You can substitute whatever meat and vegetables you have on hand, ground beef for instance, or green bell peppers.
Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
听Serves 1
1 tablespoon butter
听1/4 onion, chopped
听1 or 2 garlic cloves, minced
听1 Italian sausage, chopped into 1/2-inch rounds
听1/2 cup zucchini and summer squash, sliced into half moons
听1 small apple (about 1/2 cup), cored, peeled, chopped into 1-inch pieces
听1 teaspoon dried sage
听1 lb. spaghetti squash, softened
听1/4 cup marinara sauce
听1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Halve 2 lb. spaghetti squash, scoop out the seeds, cover in plastic wrap. Cook on high for 8 minutes. Let cool.
Meanwhile, in a pan on the stovetop, heat butter and cook onions and garlic until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add sausage and cook. As the sausage begins to brown add zucchini, summer squash, apples, and sage. Stir until well heated.
Scoop out the softened spaghetti squash and add to pan. Add marinara sauce. Stir until heated through.
Place contents of pan into the now-empty squash skin. Cover with grated cheese and cook about 15 minutes until cheese is melted.
Serve immediately with apple cider.
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