Squash Italian Style Food

MEDITERRANEAN SAUTEED YELLOW SQUASH RECIPE

Steps:

• Heat 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add sweet onions and cook for about 4 minutes until translucent (you can raise heat to medium-hot and toss onions regularly.)
• Add garlic, yellow squash, and red bell peppers. Drizzle a little more extra virgin olive oil.
• Season with salt, pepper, and spice mixture. Toss with a wooden spoon to make sure vegetables are well coated with the spices. Cook on medium-high, stirring occasionally, until squash and peppers are nice and tender (I like my squash to have some carmalized parts, so it helps to raise the heat for a little while.)
• Transfer to a serving platter. Add another drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a generous pinch of za'atar. If you like, add a sprinkle of crumbled feta cheese, pitted olives, and a handful of chopped fresh herbs like parsley. Enjoy!

ITALIAN ZUCCHINI SQUASH

Steps:

• Slice zucchini, green pepper, and onion and put in a large pot.
• Add the water (yes, very little--only enough to steam--the veggies will make their own steam.
• Cook covered on very low heat till all the veggies are done.
• Drain liquid as best you can.
• Add the tomato sauce and mix gently but well.
• Sprinkle cheese on top; cover till cheese melts.
• Serve immediately.

ITALIAN SQUASH CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Remove papery outer skin from garlic (do not peel or separate cloves). Cut top off of garlic bulb. Brush with 1/2 teaspoon oil. Wrap bulb in heavy-duty foil. Bake at 425° for 30-35 minutes or until softened. Reduce heat to 400°. Cool garlic for 10 minutes. Squeeze softened garlic into a bowl and mash., Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute squash in 1 tablespoon oil until golden brown; transfer to a large bowl. In the same skillet, saute peppers and onion in remaining oil until crisp-tender. Add to squash., Stir in the tomatoes, garlic, bread crumbs, parsley, rosemary, salt and pepper. Transfer to a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish; sprinkle with cheese. Bake, uncovered, for 30-40 minutes or until squash is tender.

ITALIAN BAKED ZUCCHINI AND SQUASH

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400F and make sure the rack is in the middle.
• Slice the zucchini, onions, and squash into thin, uniform slices. Half the cherry or grape tomatoes.
• Place all of the vegetables in a medium-sized bowl and combine them with olive oil, sea salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
• After seasoning, spread your vegetables on a roasting pan in a single layer. If you are concerned they may stick to the pan, apply a light coating of oil, or use parchment paper.
• Roast your vegetables in the oven.
• After 20 mins, remove the pan from the oven and flip the vegetables on the pan. Add a drizzle of balsamic vinegar (optional but super tasty!) and the parmesan cheese.
• Return the pan to the oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
• Serve immediately and enjoy!

ITALIAN SUMMER SQUASH

Steps:

• Sautee garlic and onions in butter, until tender.
• Wash and scrub squash. Slice into 1 inch coins. Place in pan with onions and garlic.
• Cover and cook over medium heat 5 minutes.
• Stir, and add spices. Cover and cook 3 to 5 minutes more. Do not overcook.
• Squash should be a little firm. Remove to bowl, sprinkle with cheese.

SPAGHETTI SQUASH ITALIAN STYLE

Steps:

• Cut the squash in half lengthwise and remove seeds.
• Place cut sides down in a glass baking dish.
• Add 1/4 cup water and cover with plastic wrap.
• Microwave on high for 8-10 minutes until tender; cool.
• In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoons of oil.
• Add the onion and cook until translucent.
• Add the zucchini and cook for 4-5 minutes until the zucchini begins to brown.
• Add the tomatoes, salt and pepper.
• Reduce the heat; simmer gently for 10 minutes.
• Using a fork, scrape the squash strands into a bowl.
• Toss with the remaining oil.
• For presentation you can do two things.
• Just toss the squash with the cooked vegetables and sprinkle with cheese or as recommended in the book: Mound the squash in the center of 4 pasta bowls.
• Spoon the vegetable mixture around the squash.
• Drizzle with more oil if desired, and garnish with parmesan cheese.
• Add the lemon slices.

ITALIAN-STYLE SPAGHETTI SQUASH

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Prick squash skin all over. Rub cut sides of the halved garlic over the flesh. Lightly brush each squash half with some olive oil. Place cut side-down in a 3-quart baking dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven until tender, 45 to 60 minutes. Let cool until easily handled. Separate the squash flesh into strands using a fork. Leave strands in the shells.
• Divide mozzarella cheese between the shells. Toss lightly. Press mixture up the sides of the shells.
• Combine remaining olive oil, tomatoes, pine nuts, green onions, basil, and minced garlic in a bowl. Divide tomato mixture between the shells. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top. Return squash halves to the baking dish.
• Continue baking until filling is heated through, about 20 minutes.

ITALIAN SPAGHETTI SQUASH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Pour water in baking dish and place halved squash cut-sides down in the dish.
• Bake squash in preheated oven until a fork pierces the skin very easily, about 45 minutes. Let squash cook while preparing remainder of recipe.
• Melt butter with olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onion in hot butter until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and continue to saute until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Pour diced tomatoes over the onion mixture; season with basil. Place a cover on the skillet, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook at a simmer until the tomatoes are soft, about 30 minutes; season with salt and pepper.
• Once squash is cool enough to handle, use a fork to strip flesh from the skin in strands. Stir squash and Parmesan cheese into tomato mixture. Replace cover on skillet and cook until squash is heated through, 5 to 10 minutes more. Sprinkle additional Parmesan cheese over the dish to serve.

SQUASH ITALIAN STYLE

Steps:

• Slice onion into short strips.
• Saute onion in 1 stick of butter in medium saucepan.
• Add 3 zuccini squash and 3 yellow squash (cut in small chunks).
• Add 2 cans of diced tomatoes with basil and oregano.
• Add ½ cup water.
• Cook over medium heat until tender. 20-30 minutes.

ITALIAN-STYLE STUFFED ZUCCHINI SQUASH (CROCK POT)

Steps:

• To toast pine nuts, place them in a small nonstick skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally until golden or about 5 minutes.
• Place the zucchini halves in the bottom of an oval shaped slow cooker.
• In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the tomato sauce and vinegar.
• In another small bowl, combine the onions, garlic, rice, parsley, basil, pepper, along with 2 tablespoons of the tomato sauce-vinegar mixture.
• Fill the zucchini halves with the rice mixture.
• Top with the remaining tomato sauce-vinegar mixture.
• Cover and cook on LOW until the rice is tender, 4 to 6 hours.
• Garnish with the pine nuts, fresh herbs, and cheese.
• Makes 2 main dish servings or 4 side dish servings.