Squash Stuffed With Ricotta Cheese Food

HARVEST SQUASH AND RICOTTA STUFFED SHELLS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375° F.
• Cook the pasta shells in generously salted water according to the package directions for 7-8 minutes or just until al denté. Drain the noodles and set aside.
• While the pasta is cooking, heat a large skillet over medium with the olive oil. Add the minced squashes, onion and one minced or pressed clove of garlic. Season with 1 teaspoon of the salt and pepper. Crush the thyme leaves between your fingers and sprinkle over the squash mixture, stir, and cook for 5 minutes or until the squashes are just barely becoming tender. Remove from heat and transfer to a mixing bowl to cool.
• To make the cream sauce, wipe out the skillet, add the cream, the remaining garlic clove (peel and smash it with the side of a heavy knife), nutmeg and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and bring to a low boil over medium high heat, stirring often. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 10-12 minutes or until the cream has reduced by half. Stir in 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese and taste for seasoning.
• Once the squash mixture has cooled, stir in the ricotta cheese, 1 cup of the mozzarella and 1/2 cup of the parmesan cheese to the mixing bowl. Whisk the egg in a small bowl and stir it into the cheese and squash mixture until combined.
• Cover the bottom of a 9 X 12 baking dish with 1 cup of the cream mixture. Fill the pasta shells with a generous scoop of the ricotta and squash mixture and place the shells in rows until all are filled. Drizzle the rest of the cream mixture over the shells and top with the rest of the mozzarella. Cover with foil (spray with cooking spray so the cheese doesn't stick!) and bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Remove the foil and bake for 10 more minutes or until the cheese begins to brown. Serve with more Parmesan cheese and chopped flat leaf parsley if desired.

RICOTTA-STUFFED SQUASH BLOSSOMS

Steps:

• Brush or carefully rinse the outside of the squash blossoms to clean, then gently open the flowers and remove the stamens. For more detailed instructions for cleaning and storing, please read my previous article, How To Clean and Cook Squash Blossoms.
• In a small bowl, stir the ricotta, basil, and minced garlic to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Fill a pastry bag or plastic Ziploc bag with the ricotta. Cut a small corner or the tip of the bag to pipe the cheese inside the blossoms. Use your fingers to press the petals to seal. If you don't use all of the ricotta, save leftovers for swiping across toasted bread.
• Make the batter by blending all of the ingredients in a large bowl until smooth. Don't overmix.
• Preheat a large pot over medium-high heat and fill with 1 to 2 inches of oil. Heat to 365°F.
• Dip each blossom into the batter and let the excess drip off. Carefully drop into the hot oil. Work in batches as needed and fry for 2 to 3 minutes or until crispy. The crust will not turn golden brown like many other batters.
• Transfer the fried blossoms to a plate covered with paper towels to soak up excess oil. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and a squeeze of lemon to serve.

RICOTTA STUFFED ACORN SQUASH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• With sharp knife, carefully cut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds with a spoon.
• Rub flesh with olive oil and sprinkle with the cinnamon, cloves, ginger, cardamom and salt.
• Wrap each half in foil and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes or until flesh is fork tender. Remove from oven and unwrap squash.
• To toast nuts, place in an ungreased pie tin and bake at 400 degrees for 5-7 minutes.
• Mix ricotta with honey, oregano, and hazelnuts.
• Evenly fill the baked squash halves with the ricotta mixture.
• If you want the ricotta to be warm, return to oven, on baking sheet, for 5-10 minutes. Remove from oven.
• Sprinkle with wheatgerm and black pepper and serve. Note, squash can be cooked a day in advance and reheated with the ricotta mixture at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes, or until heated through.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH-STUFFED SHELLS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Add the squash, shallot and garlic to a baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil and toss to combine. Sprinkle with the thyme, sage, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper and toss again. Roast until the squash is tender and light golden, about 30 minutes. Let cool.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil; add salt. Add the pasta shells and cook until al dente according to the package directions. Drain and let cool.
• Squeeze the roasted garlic into a small food processor or blender, add the squash, shallot and vegetable broth and puree until smooth.
• Mix together the spinach, cream cheese, ricotta, red pepper flakes, 2/3 cup of the Parmesan and 1 tablespoon salt in a large bowl. Stuff about 2 tablespoons of the spinach mixture into each shell; set aside.
• Add the pureed squash mixture, heavy cream and butter to a large skillet over medium heat. Cook, whisking frequently, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the nutmeg, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and the remaining 1 1/3 cups Parmesan.
• Spread the cheese sauce into the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Arrange the stuffed shells in the baking dish seam-side up, shingling them so they all fit (you should have 5 shells along the short side and 6 shells along the long side). Top with the mozzarella. Bake until the cheese is melted and bubbling, 15 to 20 minutes. Top with more Parmesan and sage before serving.

CHEESY STUFFED ACORN SQUASH

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°F.
• Cut squash in half and remove the seeds.
• Rub the cut flesh with salt and place flesh side down in a baking dish and bake for about 35 minutes.
• While the squash is baking, sauté onion in butter until clear and add chopped broccoli florets, mushrooms and celery.
• Sauté about 4 minutes.
• Stir in walnuts and fresh basil, then sprinkle with brown sugar and soy sauce, adjust seasoning to taste. Toss to mix well.
• Check baking squash with a fork to see if it glides through the flesh.
• Stuff with vegetable mixture, top with equal amounts of grated cheese and return to oven for about 5 minutes.
• NOTES : Baked acorn squash halves stuffed with sautéed broccoli, cheese and walnuts.

ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND RICOTTA STUFFED PASTA

Steps:

• Both the Ricotta and Butternut filling can be made beforehand and frozen, cutting down on prep time.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Line a large baking sheet with aluminium foil and coat with cooking spray.
• With a strong knife remove the stem from the squash.
• Slice the squash in half end-to-end and remove and discard the pulp and seeds.
• Cut each portion in half creating four pieces which are about the same size.
• Place the squash wedges on the baking sheet with the cut side up.
• Coat each piece of squash with butter and salt and pepper to taste.
• Cover the wedges with aluminum foil and cook in the oven for 45 minutes.
• Remove the wedges from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes.
• Remove the flesh from the skin and mash in a medium bowl adding a pinch of nutmeg.
• In a large bowl combine the ricotta, 2 eggs, 2 tablespoons of your pesto,1/4 cup of your parmesan, salt and pepper to taste as well as a little bit of nutmeg.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and add pasta shells cooking for 8 minutes (until al-dente).
• Drain pasta and cool in cold water, drain again of all water.
• In a 9x13 inch casserole dish pour tomato sauce and water adding the 2 tablespoons of remaining pesto.
• Divide and stuff the mashed squash into the bottom part of the pasta shells.
• Top the squash with the ricotta mixture, stuffing the pasta shells as full as you can.
• Set the stuffed pasta shells stuffed side up on top of the tomato sauce.
• Sprinkle the shells with the remaining parmesan cheese.
• Cover with aluminum foil and bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
• Remove foil and bake for 10-15 minutes more, or until the pasta is golden on top.

SQUASH BLOSSOMS STUFFED WITH RICOTTA

Steps:

• Make tomato sauce: Cook garlic and red pepper flakes in oil in a 2-qt heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring, until garlic is golden, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, water, sugar, and 1/2 tsp salt and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened. About 25-30 minutes.
• Prepare squash blossoms: Stri together ricotta, yolk, mint, 1/3 cup parm, and 1/8 tsp of each salt and pepper.
• Carefully open each blossom and fill with 2 rounded tsp of ricotta filling, gently twisting the end of each blossom to enclose filling. You may have filling left over.
• Whisk together flour, remain 1/3 cup parm, 1/4 tsp salt, and seltzer in small bowl.
• Heat 1/2 inch oil to 375 degrees in a 10-inch heavy skillet. Meanwhile dip half of blossoms in batter to thinly coat. Fry coated blossoms, turning once, until golden, 1 to 2 minutes total.
• Transfer with tongs to paper towels to drain. Coat and fry remaining blossoms. Return oil to 375 degrees between batches.
• Season with salt. Serve with tomato sauce.