The leaves are changing, fall is here, and I can't get enough of squash. Nate tells me all girls like squash, which is really his way of saying he doesn't like squash as much as I do. I tried this garlic-y tomatoey recipe to see if I could change his mind.
Adapted from "Spaghetti Squash with Cherry Tomatoes and Ricotta" from The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook. Serves 4 (or in our case, 2 for dinner and then almost a week's worth of lunch for me!).
Ingredients:
15 oz ricotta cheese
1 TBS EVOO
4 garlic cloves thinly sliced (I used a dollop of minced) plus 1/4 tsp minced
1/4 tsp crushed red-pepper flakes (I used more like 1 TBS. I love these!)
1/4 cup chopped basil
1/4 cup chopped oregano
1 large spaghetti squash
1 large onion, diced (about 2 cups)
2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 tsp salt
This one has a lot of steps. It's better if you can do most of them in advance.
The day before, or the morning of:
1. Wrap the ricotta tightly in a piece of cheese-cloth. Put it in a colander over a bowl. Put a couple cans on top and stick in the fridge for at least 3 hours or overnight.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Brush a baking pan with EVOO and place the sliced garlic on the pan. Bake 15 minutes, stirring every 3 minutes. As they turn golden set them aside.
3. Halve the squash lengthwise and remove the seeds. Bake on a lightly oiled pan with the cut-sides down about an hour, until soft.
Later:
4. Combine ricotta, red pepper flakes, 3 TBS basil, 3 TBS oregano. Cover with plastic and set aside.
5. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add EVOO, minced garlic, and onion. Cook, covered, about 8 minutes, until translucent.
6. Add tomatoes, wine and salt. Cook uncovered at least 5 minutes but it's better if you reduce it for a while. Stir in remaining basil and oregano. If you cooked the squash a while ago, reheat it while the sauce is reducing.
7. Pull the strands from the squash with a fork and transfer them to a bowl or plate.
8. Top with the tomato mixture, ricotta, and garlic slices. Serve hot.
