Spaghetti Squash With Sage Walnuts Food

CREAMY BUTTERNUT SQUASH PASTA WITH SAGE AND WALNUTS

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the squash and garlic on a sheet pan. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Toss well and roast until the squash is very tender, 30 to 35 minutes, tossing twice throughout. While the squash roasts, bring a large pot of water to boil.
• Meanwhile, in a large (12-inch) skillet, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium. When the oil is hot, add the sage and cook, tossing often, until the leaves begin to crisp, about 1 minute. Add the walnuts and a generous sprinkle of salt and cook, tossing often, until the sage leaves are lightly browned and crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sage and nuts to a paper towel-lined plate and wipe out the skillet. Let the mixture drain for 1 minute, then add it to a small bowl with the lemon zest; toss lightly and set aside.
• Working in batches if necessary, transfer the roasted squash and garlic to a blender or food processor, along with 1 cup stock, and blend until smooth and thick. The consistency should be somewhere between a purée and a thick soup. Add more stock as needed, if it seems too thick.
• Transfer the puréed squash to the reserved skillet and keep warm over very low heat. Meanwhile, add the pasta to the boiling water, along with 1 tablespoon salt, and cook until al dente. Just before draining, ladle 1/2 cup pasta water into a measuring cup and set aside.
• Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce. Toss to coat the pasta evenly, then, off the heat, add the 1/2 cup Parmesan and toss until the cheese is incorporated. Add a few tablespoons of the reserved pasta water if the sauce seems too thick. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Divide the pasta among shallow bowls and sprinkle the sage, walnut and lemon zest mixture on top, and serve with extra Parmesan on the side.

SPAGHETTI SQUASH WITH SAGE AND WALNUTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• Cut squash in half lengthwise and deseed.
• Place the squash halves on a roasting rack and season with 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper.
• Place 1 tablespoon of butter and 2 sage leaves in the hollowed-out core of each half.
• Bake the squash on a tray on the oven's middle rack until the flesh is just soft--about 1 hour (or longer-it all depends on your oven).
• Remove the squash and let it cool until you can work with the flesh comfortably, about 15 minutes.
• Using a fork, scrape the meat of the squash away from the skin, so that you get fluffy spaghetti-like strands. Reserve these and discard the skins. The squash will hold at this point up to a day ahead of time, in an air-tight container in the fridge.
• Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.
• When the butter has melted, add the walnuts.
• Toast the nuts and allow the butter to bubble, about 1 minute.
• Add the rest of the sage leaves.
• When the leaves release their aroma and begin to crackle in the pan (about 1 minute), add the squash and stir to coat it with the flavored butter.
• Cook for 2 minutes over medium heat until the squash is warm, stirring frequently so the flavors get inside the squash.
• Season the rest of the salt and pepper.
• Serve on a large plate or platter, topped with the cheese.

SPAGHETTI SQUASH WITH PARSLEY WALNUT PESTO

Steps:

• Pierce squash all over with a sharp small knife. Cook in a microwave oven (see cooks' note, below) at high power (100 percent) 8 minutes, then turn over and microwave until squash gives when pressed gently, 8 to 10 minutes more. Cool squash 5 minutes.
• While squash is cooking, toast nuts in a dry small heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until fragrant and a shade darker, about 6 minutes, then cool completely.
• Pulse nuts and garlic in a food processor until finely ground. Add parsley, oil, cheese, water, salt, pepper, and zest and pulse until parsley is coarsely chopped.
• While squash is still hot, cut off stem from squash and discard, then carefully halve squash lengthwise (it will emit steam) and discard seeds. Working over a bowl, scrape out squash flesh with a fork, loosening and separating strands. Toss with pesto in a bowl.