Delicata Squash

October – Spicy Delicata Squash Pasta with Arugula
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October – Spicy Delicata Squash Pasta with Arugula

Spicy Delicata Squash Pasta with Arugula

Spicy Delicata Squash Pasta with Arugula

Delicata squash is my favorite of the winter squashes. Because the skin is soft and thin, you don’t need to peel it. It’s lovely sliced into half moons and roasted. For this recipe it is first tossed with the warming spices of ground cumin and red pepper flakes, then roasted until brown on the edges and soft, tossed with pasta and finished with a dusting of grated Parmesan and a few handfuls of arugula.

Here’s the beauty of this recipe…

  • Use any kind of winter squash you happen to have on hand. For butternut, peel it and cut into 1 inch chunks.
  • No arugula? Use baby spinach instead.
  • I used gluten free chickpea pasta, but any kind of of dried pasta will work.
  • Turn it into a baked dish by finishing with grated mozzarella and cooking for 15 minutes in the oven.
  • Want to some extra protein? Add some quickly sautéed chicken (or tofu) cut into 1 inch pieces at the end or roast it with the squash.
  • Looking for more options…what about adding a drained can of chickpeas to roast with the squash? A sprinkle of toasted pumpkin seeds or a drizzle of pumpkin seed oil would be nice as well.
Gluten Free Chickpea Pasta

Gluten Free Chickpea Pasta

I found this pasta at our local market and was intrigued. It was delicious and I recommend it if you are looking for a gluten free option. It would be fun to serve with some chickpeas in the sauce as suggested above.

Spicy Delicata Squash Pasta with Arugula

Spicy Delicata Squash Pasta with Arugula

Spicy Delicata Squash Pasta with Arugula (serves 3 -4)

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 3 delicata squash or equivalent in other varieties, about 6 cups. Seeds removed and sliced into 1/2 inch half moons.
  • 1 tablespoon of ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
  • 2 cloves of garlic, finely minced
  • 2 teaspoons of cornstarch
  • Dried pasta, I used the entire package of 8.8 oz. It gave a high ratio of ‘filling’ to pasta. You could easily go with a full 16 oz package if you want more servings. The 8.8 oz package gave us 2 very generous servings (with seconds and leftovers for lunch)
  • 3/4 cup of grated Parmesan
  • 3 packed cups of arugula
  • 1 cup of grated mozzarella (optional)

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (218 C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Combine the olive oil, cumin, red pepper flakes and garlic in a large bowl. Add the squash and toss with your hands to coat. Sprinkle with the cornstarch and mix to coat the squash lightly. Make sure that the squash doesn’t have any white cornstarch. See Note below. Reserve the bowl.
  3. Place on the baking sheet, trying to separate them as much as possible and bake for 30 minutes or until browned and soft. About half way through, turn to brown the other side.
  4. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of the cooking water and drain the pasta.
  5. If the pasta is done before the squash, add a tablespoon of olive oil to the colander to prevent the pasta from sticking together.
  6. Using the same large bowl from step 2, combine the pasta, squash, arugula and parmesan. Add the additional saved pasta cooking water if things seem dry. Toss and serve.
  7. Optional: Put the mix into a serving bowl, sprinkle the mozzarella on top and bake in the oven for about 15 minutes to melt the cheese. I recommend adding some of the pasta water in this case.

Note: The cornstarch will crisp the edges of the squash. I use the same technique with cubes of sweet potato. Try it.

Spicy Delicata Squash Pasta with Arugula

Spicy Delicata Squash Pasta with Arugula

Spicy Delicata Squash Pasta with Arugula

Spicy Delicata Squash Pasta with Arugula

I think the folks over at Fiesta Friday will like the seasonal dish. This week is Fiesta Friday #402 hosted by Angie. Come on over to sample delicious recipes, decorating and craft ideas.

January in the Kitchen – Roast Spicy Tofu and Winter Squash
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January in the Kitchen – Roast Spicy Tofu and Winter Squash

Ok, it’s time to put some of those New Year’s resolutions in place. Maybe like eating more fruits and vegetables or having one meat free meal a week? Is that one of your 2015 resolutions, it is one of mine. This recipe for Spicy Tofu with Delicata Squash fits in several resolution categories and is delicious as well.

I originally saw this recipe a year ago in the New York Times. I made it several times last January and then forgot about it. It is a winter dish, perfect for cold and rainy nights. Delicata squash cooks quickly and doesn’t need peeling, you could also use Acorn or another tender winter squash. The season for delicata is shorter than many other winter varieties as it doesn’t keep as well. Take advantage of it while it’s around.

My men folk are not crazy about tofu, so this is one of those dishes I make when I have an evening to myself. I think anyone who likes tofu and has vegetarian family or friends will find it a hit. Serve it with a spinach salad lightly dressed with lemon and olive oil, or with rice (brown would be nice) for a complete meal.

I’ve adapted the recipe,  if you want to see the original it is on my Pinterest Page, or you can link to the original New York Times recipe by Melissa Clark here.

Spicy Tofu with Delicata Squash

Spicy Tofu with Delicata Squash

Spicy Tofu with Winter Squash

  • 1 (14-ounce) package extra-firm tofu, drained
  • 2 pounds dumpling, delicata or acorn squash, halved and seeded.
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce, plus more to taste
  • ½ teaspoon Calabrian hot pepper paste or hot sauce
  • ¼ cup peanut oil
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup, grade B preferred
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro or parsley leaves

IMG_2340

PREPARATION

  1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
  2. Drain tofu and slice into four pieces, then slice each piece into 1/2-inch-thick slabs (divide the block horizontally through the middle). Arrange the tofu on a large baking sheet or plate lined with several layers of paper towels. Place another layer of paper towels on top and weigh down tofu with another baking sheet or plate topped with a heavy cookbook or cans. Let stand for 20 minutes. Check it and see if you need to replace the paper towels and press for another 10 minutes. Pat tofu dry.
  3. While tofu drains, cut squash into 1/2-inch-thick half-moons or slices.
  4. In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, hot sauce, peanut oil, sesame oil, and maple syrup.
  5. Spread squash out in a single layer on a large aluminum lined baking sheet and brush with the sauce.
  6. Roast until bottoms are golden brown, about 20 minutes. Flip the squash and brush with sauce.
  7. Roast the squash for an additional 10-15 minutes until soft yet brown. Remove it to a warm bowl.
  8. Turn on your broiler.
  9. Brush the tofu with the remaining sauce and add the tofu to the same pan.
  10. Put the pan back in the oven and broil the tofu until uniformly golden bown, about 2-3 minutes.
  11. Turn the tofu, brush with sauce again, and return it to the oven. Cook until crispy and golden, about 2 minutes more.
  12. Toss hot tofu with squash, and cilantro (or parsley), adding more soy sauce if you like.
Tofu with Delicata Squash

Tofu with roast winter squash