Squash recipe

I've already mentioned that people are either marrow lovers, or they are marrow haters, you don't get people who can take marrow or leave it, just as you don't get people who are happy either way about rhubarb. Some foods inspire strong emotions. Squashes though, don't. Most people are relaxed about their pumpkins, acorn squash or butternut squash, they don't enthuse madly, nor do they run away in panic at the sight. So, given that this is the time when squashes are at their peak, here's a favourite recipe in our house.


Hot Autumn pasta salad

200g pasta
1 butternut squash, skin removed, de-seeded and cut into roughly one inch dice
1 red chilli, de-seeded and finely chopped, or dried chilli to taste
1 garlic clove, minced
1 courgette, halved, de-seeded and cut into one inch slices or chunks
40 g pinenuts or sunflower seeds
juice of half a lemon
olive oil
parmesan
fresh basil

Preheat your oven to 200 degrees Celsius and oil a roasting pan, spread the butternut squash out in it and sprinkle it with the chilli and garlic. Season and drizzle with more olive oil. Now cover with tin foil and cook for thirty minutes or until the squash is soft when you squeeze it

Cook the pasta as per the packet (we used spiralli, but any short pasta works for this recipe)

Toast the pinenuts or sunflower seeds in a frying pan over a medium heat. Set them aside and use the same pan with some olive oil to fry the courgettes for a few minutes so they remain slightly firm.

When everything is ready, add the pasta, all the ingredients from the oven tray, the courgette and the pinenuts to the serving bowl. Squeeze the lemon over the salad followed by a good drizzle of olive oil and roughly torn basil leaves and give it a good stir. Slice some parmesan over the dish, followed by freshly ground black pepper and serve.

Labels: allotment-recipes, autumn-allotment, butternut-squash