We were excited to see a Delicata squash as one of the items in our most recent CSA share pickup. For those who haven’t had one, these are a full-flavored winter squash, but the skin is very delicate and edible, making it an easy squash to prepare. Last time we had a Delicata squash, we roasted it with spices and sesame seeds. You can read about that recipe in the Squash Half-Moons with Butter, Sesame, and Salt post. This time we needed to bulk up the amount of food as this would be our main course for dinner, so we put together a little dish that included pasta.
As you’d expect with something this easy, we just made it up as we went along, making this another 100% Scratchin’ It original recipe.
Pasta with Glazed Delicata Squash and Hazelnuts
Ingredients
- 1 Tbs molasses
- 1 Tbs tamari sauce
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Garlic powder to taste
- 1 Delicata squash
- 8 ounces dried gemelli or other pasta shape
- 1/4 cup hazelnuts chopped
- 1/4 cup grated Parmegiano Reggiano
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
- In a medium bowl, mix together molasses, tamari sauce, black pepper, and garlic powder.
- Halve squash, clean out the seeds, then cut into 1/2 inch cubes. Toss in molasses mixture to coat and transfer to prepared baking sheet. Roast in the oven for 45-60 minutes, or until tender, then reduce oven temperature to keep warm.
- Bring a large kettle of salted water to a rolling boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions. Drain completely.
- Transfer pasta to bowls, top with roasted squash, hazelnuts, and cheese. Serve immediately.
Ingredient discussion:
If you decide to use another type of winter squash, you’ll need to peel off the skin, as most are not edible. Well, strictly speaking, they probably are edible, it’s just that you won’t enjoy it. Tamari sauce is nothing but real soy sauce, made from fermented soy. It’s far better tasting than the salty caramel colored water sold as soy sauce. Years ago, we learned the difference, tried tamari and never looked back. It’s that much better. We choose to use gemelli pasta shapes simply because we think they’re the best shape around; we buy the Barilla brand. And, as always, buy and use real Parmesan or Grana Padano cheese, which does not come in a green shaker can.
Procedure in detail:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment for easy cleanup.
Make glaze. In a medium bowl, mix together the molasses, tamari sauce, black pepper, and garlic powder and set aside.
Roast squash. Cut the squash in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, then cut the squash into 1/2- inch size cubes. If you’re using a delicata squash, no need to remove the peel. Toss the cubes in the glaze until coated and transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 45-60 minutes or until the squash is tender. Reduce the oven temperature to keep the squash warm while you boil the pasta.
Boil pasta. Bring a large kettle of salted water to a full and rolling boil. For the amount of salt, we always try to use enough so the water tastes salty. Once boiling, add the gemelli, and cook according to the package directions. Drain completely and divide between bowls.
Top pasta. Distribute the squash on top, followed by hazelnuts and Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.
We liked this as an easy dinner. We were busy with something else at pretty much the same time so we needed to make something that didn’t need our attention, and roasting squash filled the bill. After that, it was simply boiling some pasta and we were good to go. We will say that, while this was tasty, it was a bit on the dry side; perhaps a splash of olive oil over the pasta wouldn’t go amiss. Four stars.
