Heat the oven to 400°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Cut the squash in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Brush the flesh with 2 tablespoons of the oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Place the squash halves cut-side up on a baking sheet and roast until fork tender, about Read More…
Yay – spaghetti squash!
Here’s your plan of attack. Wash it. Cut it in half, scrape out the seeds and strings as you would any squash and cook. Microwave: arrange the halves in a microwave-proof dish and lightly cover with waxed paper and cook at high for about 6 minutes. Test squash – it’s done when squash is softened and flesh can be separated into “noodles” using a fork. Oven: arrange halves on a rimmed baking sheet, cut side down and bake at 375 for 30 to 40 minutes. Same test for doneness. In either case, let squash cool slightly before separating into strands.
Now – use the no-cook pasta sauce above and you have a low-carb dinner, or try something completely different and bake a pie.
This is a recipe I tested for the AJC. It comes from a friend for whom this is an old family favorite.
Using spaghetti squash in a sweet dish might be a surprise, but try this recipe from Vicky Murphy. It will remind you of a chess pie with a twist. “A friend shared [the recipe] with me back in the late 1970s when I first became aware of the squash. You can use almond flavoring or probably most any flavoring you like. I like to serve it with low-cal whipped cream, from the can, not the good stuff, to keep it as low calorie as possible,” Murphy said. She also said you can vary the amount of flavoring up to 2 tablespoons.
If your spaghetti squash provides more “noodles” than needed, toss the remainder in vinaigrette with chopped fresh tomatoes, garlic and basil for a quick mock pasta entree.
Here are two recipes from “Vegetables from Amaranth to Zucchini” by Elizabeth Schneider (HarperCollins, $60).
