I’ve been exploring some new winter vegetables thanks to my CSA box, and I recently discovered one that may be a new favorite. A large spaghetti squash arrived in this weeks’ box, and I had absolutely no idea what to do with it, so I started googling recipes. It was sub 40 degrees in San Francisco and I was looking for something hearty and filling to take the edge off of this winter, and a casserole seemed most appropriate. I liked that the squash was so easy and fun to cook with- I guess it gets its “spaghetti” designation due to the fact that when you scoop the innards out of the squash, it looks like a bunch of noodles. This dish was a hit with my dinner guests. The sweetness of the squash nicely plays off with the salty, cheesy mozzarella-parmigiano-panko topping, and the fresh herbs and chilli flakes give it a nice kick.
Ingredients
1 spaghetti squash
1/2 large yellow onion, diced
2 Tbls olive oil
4 large diced tomatoes, or 1 can chopped diced tomatoes
5-6 large leaves of basil
2 sprigs oregano
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 1/2 cups mozzarella, shredded
1 1/2 cups parmigiano reggiano, shredded
3 Tbls panko crumbs
For garnish: Chopped chives
1. Slice spaghetti squash in half, lengthwise and bake at 350 for 40 minutes
2. Remove squash from oven. Remove seeds. Then, with a fork, remove the flesh from the squash and set aside.
3. Heat olive oil in skillet and fry garlic, onions, and oregano until golden brown. Add tomatoes and simmer for 5 minutes. Then, add squash and saute until well mixed.
4. Add squash concoction to 9 X 13 baking dish. Layer with mozzarella, parmigiano reggiano, and panko crumbs.
5. Bake for 30 minutes at 350, or until top is browned and cheese is bubbling.
Enjoy!
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