Butternut Squash

Butternut Squash Lasagna Roll Ups

Posted on November 15, 2016 by andreasgardencooking

Time to use another section of my giant crookneck squash.

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I roasted about 2/3 of the neck and since I only needed 2 1/2 cups of pulp, it was still too much , so I will need to find another use for the couple of extra cups of pulp. Since even just the plain roasted pulp was delicious, that will not be a difficult thing to do.

I used the squash in place of butternut for these lasagna roll ups. The squash is the base for both the filling and the sauce.

They were delicious!

Butternut Squash Lasagna Roll Ups

Slightly adapted from Proud Italian Cook

1 butternut squash (or part of a crookneck squash), enough to get 2 1/2 cups of pulp (locally grown)

10 cooked lasagna noodles

FOR THE FILLING

2 cups of squash pulp

1 cup ricotta

¼ cup of cooked, chopped spinach, measured after it is drained well

½ cup of grated parmesan

⅓ cup of grated asiago

1 egg (locally raised)

1 small garlic clove grated on a microplane

Kosher salt and pepper to taste

FOR THE SAUCE

½ cup of reserved squash pulp, pureed smoother than the pulp for the filling

2 shallots, finely diced (I used 1 shallot and 2 very small onions from my garden)

½ stick, unsalted butter

1 small bunch of sage leaves (from the garden)

¾ cup of stock, I used vegetable

¾ cup of cream

½ cup of grated parmesan

Kosher salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Prepare the squash ahead of time (you can even do it the day before and refrigerate it until ready for use).  Cut lengthwise, with skin still on, remove seeds and roast the squash, cut side down at 350 degrees until tender and a knife goes through with ease, close to an hour. Let it cool, then scoop out pulp.

FILLING MIXTURE

Mash 2 cups of the squash pulp into small chunks, making it easy for spreading.

Add in ricotta, egg, cheeses,grated garlic, zest, salt and pepper.

Mix together well, then fold in spinach until incorporated.

SAUCE

In a medium-sized skillet, saute the shallots in the butter with the sage leaves until slightly golden.

Remove the sage leaves, then add the broth and whisk in the ½ cup of the well pureed squash that was reserved until nice and smooth on low heat.

Whisk in the cream and add the grated parmesan cheese, salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

ASSEMBLY & BAKING

Place a little sauce on the bottom of a shallow baking dish.

Spread about 3 tablespoons of filling on each cooked lasagna noodle.

Roll up and place them seam side down in the baking dish.

Spoon sauce on top of each lasagna roll up, plus grate a little parmesan cheese on top of each. Bake uncovered in a 350 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes, sauce will be set and top will be slightly golden.

Serve topped with some sauce and enjoy!!

Serves 4-5.

Categories: Butternut Squash, Kosher, Main Dish, Pasta, Recipe, Spinach, Vegetarian | Leave a comment

Minestrone for an Autumn Day

Posted on November 9, 2016 by andreasgardencooking

I went to one of our local farm stores and found this…

It’s a crookneck squash, and it is gigantic! It is about the size of 3 or 4 butternut squashes! So you will likely be seeing this, or parts of it, a few times over the next few weeks. This recipe used just 1/2 of the bulb section.

We also dove into out CSA box and pulled out some collard greens.

My daughter and I had been to one of my favorite Persian kabob restaurants in DC today, so I wanted a light dinner.  Time for some minestrone soup.

When you look at my pictures below, feel free to chuckle at the size pot I used. I don’t know what I was thinking.

Minestrone Soup

adapted from Cooking Classy

2 medium carrots, diced

1 medium onion, chopped

1 Tbsp olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

6 cups vegetable stock

2 1/2 cups 3/4-inch diced yukon gold potatoes

2 1/2 cups 3/4-inch diced crookneck or butternut squash (locally grown)

1 medium zucchini, sliced into half-moons or quarters

1 – 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes

1 tsp dried oregano (from the garden)

1 tsp dried thyme (from the garden)

2 bay leaves

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2-inch parmesan rind

2/3 cup dry ditalini pasta

2 cups packed chopped collard greens (ribs removed)

1 – 14.5 oz can cannelini beans, drained and rinsed

Shaved parmesan cheese, for serving

Directions

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and carrots and saute 3 minutes then add garlic and saute 1 minute longer.

Stir in vegetable broth, potatoes, squash, zucchini, tomatoes, rosemary, thyme, bay leaves, pamesan rind and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Bring to a boil then and stir in pasta if using. Cover, reduce heat to medium low and and simmer for 10 minutes, add the collard greens. Cover and cook another 5 minutes. Stir in the cannelini beans and cook until collard greens are tender, about 5 minutes longer. Remove bay leaves

If you want a thicker soup, use an immersion blender for about 10 seconds.

Serve warm topped with shaved parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

Serves 6 – 8.

Categories: Butternut Squash, Carrot, Kosher, Recipe, Soup, Vegetarian, Zucchini | Tags: | Leave a comment

Pasta with Sweet-Roasted Butternut Squash and Kale

Posted on February 23, 2016 by andreasgardencooking

Thanks again to Highland Orchards for beautiful pesticide-free butternut squash and kale. 

The inspiration for this dish came from The Splendid Table’s Sweet Roaster Butternut Squash and Greens Over Bow-Tie Pasta. I really like the sweetness that recipe brings to the roasted vegetables, but not the very creamy sauce.  So, I adjusted the ingredients and technique to what works for me and came up with a lighter dish that received rave reviews at dinner!

I mean, really, how can you resist colors like these?

Pasta with Sweet-Roasted Butternut Squash and Kale

Adapted from The Splendid Table’s Sweet Roaster Butternut Squash and Greens Over Bow-Tie Pasta.

1 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into bite-sized chunks (from Highland Orchards)

1 medium to large onion, cut into 1-inch chunks

3 cups kale, washed, dried, and torn into small pieces (from Highland Orchards)

4 large garlic cloves, coarse chopped

1/3 cup good-tasting extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

1 Tbsp demerara sugar

Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper

12 oz bow-tie pasta

1 Tsbp high-quality extra-virgin olive oil

1 – 2 Tbsp half and half.

1 cup Balsamic BellaVitano cheese, shredded

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450 F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

In a large bowl, toss together the squash, onion, kale, garlic, !/3 cup oil, pepper flakes, sugar salt and pepper.

Spread the vegetables in a single layer on a baking sheet.

Roast for 25 minutes, or until the squash is tender, turning the vegetables two or three times during roasting. Remove the kale.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain in a colander.

Turn on the broiler to caramelize it the squash. Watch the vegetables closely, turning as needed. Anticipate about 5 – 8 minutes under the broiler. You want crusty brown edges on the squash.

Place the vegetables and pasta in a large serving bowl. Add 2/3 of the cheese.

Drizzle with the high-quality oil and half and half.  Taste and adjust seasoning.

Serve topped with some more cheese. Serve hot and enjoy!

Serves 4    

 

Categories: Butternut Squash, Kale, Kosher, Main Dish, Pasta, Recipe, Vegetarian | 1 Comment

Butternut Squash Quiche

Posted on February 14, 2016 by andreasgardencooking

I won’t mince words, this is probably the tastiest quiche I have ever made.

We learned the other day that roasted vegetables worked will in a strata, so I figured that butternut squash and some other roasted vegetables would work just as well in a quiche. I decided to keep with an orange theme and added an orange pepper and carrots.

The other thing I learned with the strata was that extra sharp cheddar cheese goes well with roasted winter vegetables.   So, in that went as well.

I was lazy and used a frozen pie crust.  I am trying to clean out my freezer, and there was a crust sitting in there waiting to be used. It was ok, but this would be even better with a home-made crust.

Butternut Squash Quiche

3 cups butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced into 1/2″ cubes (from Highland Orchards)

1 orange bell pepper, seeded and diced into 1/2 “pieces

1 1/2 cups carrots, cut into 1/2” pieces

1 Tbsp olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

3 eggs

1 cup milk

1/2 cup shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese

1 pie crust (frozen or home-made)

Directions

Heat the oven to 425F.

In a large bowl, toss the squash, pepper and carrots with the oil, salt and pepper.

Spread on a baking sheet. Roast for 40 minutes, stirring after each 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.

Reduce the oven heat to 375F.

In a bowl, beat the eggs with the milk.

Spread the cheese at the bottom of the pie crust.

Place the vegetables on top of the cheese and spread out evenly.

Pour the egg and milk mixture over the vegetables.

Bake 40 – 45 minutes, till set. Let stand 10 minutes.

Serve with a salad and enjoy!

Categories: Butternut Squash, Carrot, Kosher, Main Dish, Recipe | Tags: , | 8 Comments

Roasted Butternut Squash, Jerusalem Artichoke and Kale…with Eggs (of course!)

Posted on January 26, 2016 by andreasgardencooking

A “from my garden” post in the middle of winter!!! Tonight’s dinner was a combination of my newly harvested Jerusalem artichokes and the last of my butternut squash with Farmer Kim’s eggs.

I harvested an amazing crop of Jerusalem artichokes Big, beautiful tubers that you will be seeing much of over the next few weeks.

One of the best ways to cook them is a simple roasting with olive oil, salt and pepper. So I used that for all the vegetables. I am always amazed at how many roasted vegetables we will eat. It is hard to resist the sweet flavor and crisp-soft texture that roasting brings out.

Comfort food…another happy meal.

RoastedButternut Squash, Jerusalem Artichokes, Kale and Eggs

½ Butternut squash (from the garden), peeled and chopped

½ – 3/4 lb Jerusalem artichokes (from the garden), scrubbed and chopped

1-2 Leeks, sliced ½” thick

2 1/2 Tbsp Olive oil, separated

Kosher salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

1 bunch Kale, stems removed and leaves torn

4-6 eggs, from Farmer Kim

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400F.

Toss the butternut squash, leeks and Jerusalem artichokes with 1 Tbsp oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet.

Roast for 45 minutes, stirring and turning the vegetables every 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, toss the kale with 1/2 Tbsp of oil, a little salt and pepper. Spread in a single layer on a second rimmed baking sheet.

Add the the oven for the final 15 minutes of roasting the root vegetables.

Mix all the cooked vegetables together.

Heat the final Tbsp of oil in a skillet over medium high heat.  Cook the eggs (in batches if necessary) either sunny-side up or over easy (until the yolks are just cooked, but still soft and runny).

To serve – place the vegetables on each plate and top with 1 or 2 eggs. Enjoy!

Serves 2 – 4.

Categories: Butternut Squash, Jerusalem Artichokes, Kale, Kosher, Leeks, Main Dish, Recipe, Vegetarian | 2 Comments

Roasted Vegetable Tart and Quiche

Posted on January 5, 2016 by andreasgardencooking

Two versions tonight – why?  I roasted a lot of vegetables and my pastry crust was not big enough, so I also pulled out a pre-made pie crust and made a quiche.

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Each was worth making individually, so I have included both.

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Some in the family preferred the quiche…

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Others the tart…

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Roasted Vegetable Filling
Enough for 2 tarts, quiches or 1 of each

1 Tbsp Olive oil

2 cups 1/2-inch-diced butternut squash (from the garden)

1 cup 1/2-inch-thick sliced carrots

1 1/2 cups Brussels sprouts, halved

1 large leek, white and light green parts only, sliced1/2-inch-thick

1 yellow, red or orange bell pepper, diced into 1/2-inch pieces

1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped cauliflower (locally grown)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 Tbs. finely grated lemon zest

1/2 tsp. dried thyme, crushed (from the garden)

Crust

2 pie crusts or dough, recipe of your pick

1 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (3/4 cups each for the pie or tart)

Quiche Custard

3 eggs (from Farmer Kim)

1 cup milk (we use 2% organic)

Directions

Filling

Heat the oven to 425F.

Toss the vegetables with 1 Tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper.  Lay on rimmed baking sheets in a single layer.  Cook for 15 minutes, stir with lemon zest and thyme and return to the oven for another 15 minutes.

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Remove and let cool.

Crust

For the tart, on a piece of parchment paper, roll the dough out into a, 1/8 inch rough circle.  Transfer the paper onto a cookie sheet.

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Sprinkle cheese in the center of the tart or the bottom of the pie crust.

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Assemble & Bake

Tart

Reduce heat to 400F.

Spoon the vegetable mixture on top of the cheese, mounding it slightly in the center.

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Fold the edge of the dough over the edge of the filling creating pleats.

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Bake until the crust, including the pleats, is golden brown, 35 to 45 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes before serving.

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Enjoy!

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Quiche

Reduce heat to 400F.

Spoon the vegetable mixture on top of the cheese.

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Beat the eggs with the milk.  Pour over the vegetables.

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Bake for 35 – 45 minutes until the center is just set.  Transfer to a rack and let cool 10 minutes before serving.

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Enjoy!

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Categories: Butternut Squash, Carrot, Cauliflower, Kosher, Leeks, Main Dish, Recipe, Vegetarian | Tags: | 1 Comment

Open-Faced Roasted Vegetable Egg Sandwich – or what to do with leftover roasted vegetables?

Posted on December 27, 2015 by andreasgardencooking

Roasted vegetables, one of the greatest gifts of fall and winter.

My family loves roasted vegetables, especially cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and winter squash.  But we have also added leeks to our list of veggies to roast, they are particularly sweet when roasted.

Typically we eat every last piece, but on rare occasions we do have some leftover. And I figured out a delicious way to start my day, an open-faced roasted vegetable egg sandwich.

With gooey eggs, this is definitely a fork and knife sandwich. Dig in and enjoy.  It brought a smile to my face all morning.

Open-faced Roasted Vegetable Egg Sandwich

For each sandwich:

1 slice whole grain bread, toasted

1 – 2 cups of leftover roasted vegetables

1 – 2 eggs (from Farmer Kim)

Hot pepper sauce, optional

Directions

Heat the vegetables in the microwave until warm (30 seconds to 1 minute).

Cook the egg(s) sunny side up (or however you prefer).

Place the toast on a plate, top with vegetable and then the egg(s).  Sprinkle with hot pepper sauce, if desired. Enjoy!

 

 

Categories: Breakfast, Broccoli, Butternut Squash, Cauliflower, Kosher, Leeks, Recipe, Vegetarian | Tags: | Leave a comment

Butternut Squash Chili with Corn

Posted on November 19, 2015 by andreasgardencooking

Time again to use one of the butternut squash from my garden (somehow the crate of squash does not seem to be getting smaller). I peeled it and cut it up to use in a healthy chili.

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I love chili, all types of chili.  Red chilis, white chilis, black bean chilis, leftover turkey chili, Cincinnati chili.  Chili by itself, over rice, over spaghetti, with bread or crackers.  Chili makes me happy.

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This chili is especially nice since it is so healthy as well as good tasting.  The least healthy part, but necessary from my point of view..some cheese on top.

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Yum!

While the chili cooked, I took the dog for a walk.  The sun was just setting and the sky was a beautiful lavender shade, with a sliver of a crescent moon.

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Butternut Squash Chili with Corn

from Martha Rose Shulman

1 pound mixed dried beans, ( I used  pintos and black beans), washed, picked over, and soaked for at least 4 hours or overnight in 2 quart pot.

2 onions, 1 quartered, 1 finely chopped4 garlic cloves, 2 crushed and peeled, 2 minced (from the garden)

1 bay leaf

2 tablespoons grapeseed or sunflower oil

3 tablespoons mild ground chili (or use hot, or use more)

1 tablespoon cumin seeds, ground

1 14-ounce can chopped tomatoes

Pinch of sugar

2 tablespoons tomato pastedissolved in 1 cup water

2 cups diced winter squash (about 3/4 pound) (Butternut squash from the garden)

1 cup corn kernels (fresh or frozen)

Salt to taste

½ cup chopped cilantro

Grated or crumbled cheese for serving (optional) 

 

Directions
Place beans and soaking water in a large, heavy pot. Add halved onion and bring to a gentle boil. Skim off any foam that rises, then add crushed garlic and bay leaf, reduce heat, cover and simmer 30 minutes. Add salt and continue to simmer another 45 minutes to an hour. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, remove and discard onion and bay leaf.IMG_2204

Meanwhile, heat oil over medium heat in a heavy skillet and add chopped onion. Cook, stirring often, until tender, about 5 minutes.

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Add a generous pinch of salt, stir in chopped garlic, stir together for 30 seconds to a minute, until fragrant, and add ground chili and cumin. Cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes, until mixture begins to stick to pan.

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Add chopped tomatoes with juice, pinch of sugar, and salt to taste. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring often, until tomatoes have cooked down and mixture is beginning to stick to the pan, about 10 minutes.

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Stir in tomato paste dissolved in water and bring back to a simmer. Simmer, stirring often, for 10 minutes, until mixture is thick and fragrant.

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Stir tomato mixture into beans. Add winter squash and bring to a simmer.

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Taste and adjust salt. Simmer, stirring often so that the chili mixture doesn’t settle and stick to the bottom of the pot, for 45 minutes. Add more water if chili seems too thick. Stir in corn and simmer for another 10 minutes. The beans should be very soft and the chili thick and fragrant. Taste and adjust seasonings.

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Shortly before serving stir in cilantro. Simmer for 5 minutes. Spoon into bowls.

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If you wish, top with grated cheddar, Monterey jack, or crumbled queso fresco. Serve with biscuits or cornbread. Enjoy!

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Serves 6.

Categories: Butternut Squash, Kosher, Main Dish, Recipe, Vegetarian | 1 Comment

Eggplant and Butternut Squash Tagine with Chickpeas and Raisins

Posted on October 26, 2015 by andreasgardencooking

We attended the Delaware Wine and Beer Festival last week and, aside from some new beverages, we discovered a new farm – Suzuki Farms in Delmar, Delaware.  They specialize in Japanese vegetables.

We picked up some eggplants and some delicious salad dressing that his wife made. I used a could of the eggplants with a butternut squash from my garden  in  a moroccan stew (tagine).It is called a tagine because of the traditional dish is it cooked in. I happen to have a tagine, but it can calso be made in a dutch oven or other covered pot. I do love my tagine, but have still have to learn how much to cut back the liquid, I tend to have overflows every time I use it.  Oh well, some day I will figure it out. Why do I ove it, the stews stay incredibly moist and tender.

 

To add some texture, and additional flavor, to the stew, you make a mix for parsley, almonds and raisins.

Put it all together and serve it on top of couscous.  A tasty treat for an autumn evening.

Eggplant and Butternut Squash Tagine with Chickpeas and Raisins

From Williams -Sonoma

1 1/2 lb. butternut squash (from the garden)

1 lb. slender eggplant (locally grown)

1 1/2 Tbs. olive oil

1 yellow onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

2 Tbs. ras el hanout  (see recipe below)

1/2 tsp. ground turmeric

1/2 tsp. salt, plus more, to taste

1 can (14 1/2 oz.) chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 1/2 cups vegetable broth

1 1/2 tsp. fresh lemon juice and 1/8 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley  (from the garden)

1/2 cup sliced almonds (I only had slovered), toasted

1/4 cup raisins or currants

Directions

Peel and halve the butternut squash, scoop out the seeds and cut the flesh into 1-inch chunks.

Trim the eggplant and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks.


In a large pot over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the ras el hanout, turmeric and the 1/2 tsp. salt and cook for 1 minute.

Add the squash, eggplant, chickpeas, broth and lemon with salt and bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer, cover and cook until the squash and eggplant are tender, about 20 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.


In a small bowl, stir together the parsley, almonds and raisins.

Stir two-thirds of the parsley mixture into the tagine,

then sprinkle the remaining mixture on top. Serve immediately with couscous. Enjoy!

Serves 4.

 

Ras El Hanout

from Gourmet April 1998

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seeds

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Directions

In a small bowl whisk together all ingredients until combined well. Spice blend keeps in an airtight container at cool room temperature 1 month.

 

Categories: Butternut Squash, Eggplant, Kosher, Main Dish, Recipe, Vegetarian | Leave a comment

Pasta with Kale Pesto and Roasted Butternut Squash

Posted on September 20, 2015 by andreasgardencooking

Time to use the first of the butternut squash from my garden.  

It was “parents night out”, with Cam spending the evening at Tae Kwan Do. So, our version of night out – a good dinner, a walk with the dog, and a movie rental.  We finally watched The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel – what a treat!

But I digress; our dinner was so pretty and colorful.  And equally tasty.  This was a another great recipe from Melissa Clark. I have really been enjoying trying her recipes.

Pasta with Kale Pesto and Roasted Butternut Squash

By Melissa Clark

1 ½ pounds butternut squash (from the garden)½ cup extra virgin olive oil, more for drizzling

¾ teaspoon kosher salt, more for squash

Freshly ground black pepper

1 small bunch (about 1/2 pound)lacinato kale, center ribs removed

8 ounces pasta (penne rigate works well)

⅓ cup toasted pine nuts

2 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped (from the garden)

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

Freshly squeezed lemon juice, to taste

Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Use a vegetable peeler to peel squash, then halve it lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Dice squash flesh into 1-inch pieces, place on a baking sheet, and toss with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Spread pieces into an even layer, making sure there is space between them.Roast, stirring squash pieces once or twice, until golden brown and tender, about 30 minutes.Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; have ready a bowl of ice water. Drop kale into boiling water and cook for 45 seconds. Use tongs or slotted spoon to transfer kale to ice water.Bring water in pot back to a boil, adding more if necessary so there is enough to cook pasta. When water in pot comes back to a boil, cook pasta according to package directions.

Drain kale well, then wrap tightly in a dry kitchen towel and squeeze thoroughly to remove any excess moisture. Roughly chop leaves.

In a food processor, pulse together kale, nuts, garlic, salt and lemon zest until mixture is smooth and salt has dissolved. With motor running, slowly drizzle in the oil until fully incorporated. Taste and add more salt dissolved in a little lemon juice, if necessary.

Drain pasta, reserving a little cooking water. Toss pasta with kale pesto and some pasta cooking water if necessary to help it coat pasta. Add cheese, lemon juice and salt to taste.Serve topped with squash and more cheese and Enjoy!

Serves 3.

 

Categories: Butternut Squash, Kale, Kosher, Main Dish, Pasta, Pesto, Recipe, Vegetarian | Leave a comment

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