butternut squash Archives - Proud Italian Cook

Butternut Squash Ricotta Tart With Puff Pastry

September 29, 2023 by Marie Leave a Comment

Butternut squash is hands down one of my favorite veggies. When fall comes around I get excited to see it popping up in all the markets. It’s so versatile and you can make so many different meals using it.

One way I like using it is in a savory tart like this one with a cheesy spinach and ricotta base, the flavors compliment each other so well which brings out the sweetness of the squash.

Now you don’t actually have to cut the squash like I did, you can just cube it up, but if you want to fancy it up a bit and give it a showstopper look, do what I did.

Cut the squash right above the seed section, peel the skin off and scoop out the seeds, now cut side down make thin slices. A little more time consuming but it does give it a pretty look.

This time I used puff pastry but in the past I’ve used phyllo and even a piecrust as the crust foundation.

I have to say store-bought puff pastry is really time saver, you just defrost and it’s ready to go, and it always turns out nice and crispy!

The ricotta mixture is flavored with garlic, grated fontina and pecorino cheese and a good handful of fresh chopped spinach.

Serve this with a salad of your choice and you have a great lunch, brunch, light dinner or meatless meal, it’s fantastic and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Butternut Squash Ricotta Tart With Puff Pastry

A savory tart with butternut squash and creamy ricotta cheese, the perfect combination with crispy puff pastry as the foundation.

Author: Marie

Ingredients

butternut squash, cut above the seeds, then peeled with seeds scooped out and sliced thin, or just cut in cubes
1 sheet of store-bought puff pastry, defrosted according to directions
2½ cups of ricotta, drained well
2 eggs
1 large garlic clove, crushed
¾ cups of grated pecorino or parmesan, plus a little extra
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil
1 cup of grated fontina cheese or grated mozzarella
1 handful of chopped fresh spinach
a sprig of thyme for garnish

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 400.
After you slice the squash, place on a parchment lined and olive oiled sheet pan, and also lightly drizzle some olive oil on top. Roast at 400 until just softened, not browned ,about 5 or 6 minutes. Check because ovens vary.Then cool down.
Mix up the filling in one bowl, the ricotta, eggs, garlic, grated pecorino or parmesan, shredded fontina or mozzarella and chopped spinach. Mix well.
On another sheet pan place parchment paper and the puff pastry sheet.
Roll the puff pastry with a rolling pin til it takes. the shape of a rectangle and not a square.
Lightly score a border around the entire edge using a paring knife, then prick the surface inside the border all over with a fork.
Spread the ricotta mixture all over the inside surface but not the border.
Arrange and layer the butternut squash on top of the ricotta mixture.
Brush some olive oil on the border adding a little pepper and grated cheese.
A finishing touch of grated cheese on top of the squash a pinch of salt and pepper and quick drizzle of olive oil all over, then add a few thyme leaves.
Bake at 400 for around 25 to 30 minutes. Check your oven, the bottom of your puff pastry should be nice and crispy golden and the ricotta will be set.

Leave a Comment Filed Under: Fall, Savory Tarts, Vegetables Tagged: butternut squash, puff pastry, ricotta tart, tart

Savory Vegetable Ricotta Tart

January 20, 2022 by Marie 3 Comments

A savory vegetable tart that features creamy ricotta studded with fresh spinach, roasted butternut squash and red onions that are packed into a crispy phyllo crust.

First of all don’t let phyllo pastry scare you, it’s so forgiving, you could accidentally rip or tear it and no one would know the difference, it hides imperfections beautifully. I use to be afraid of it, in fact I did a post about it here. That being said there’s always a box sitting in my freezer now for sweet and savory dishes.

Besides phyllo dough the other important element to this tart is a good quality ricotta. I always buy mine in the deli section of my Italian grocer and it usually has some watery liquid that clings to it when they scoop it out for you. You’ll want to drain the ricotta for a couple of hours or even overnight, you’d be surprised how much liquid comes out, this should be done to ensure your ricotta tart doesn’t bake up soggy.

Honestly you can top your tart with any roasted vegetables of your choice, I chose butternut squash because it’s perfect this time of year. You can also tailor this tart to what veggies are in season and what goes together well, like I did here with spring vegetables.

The creamy ricotta compliments the crunch factor of the phyllo crust with every single bite. You’ll love this tart for lunch, brunch or dinner with a green salad on the side, enjoy!

Savory Vegetable Ricotta Tart

Creamy vegetable ricotta filled tart with a crunchy phyllo crust

Author: Marie

Ingredients

4 cups good quality ricotta, drained of any excess liquid
2 eggs
1 a nice handful of fresh chopped spinach
3 small garlic cloves grated
½ cup grated pecorino or parmigiano
1 generous cup of shredded provolone or shredded mozzarella
1 medium butternut squash, diced and 2 red onions sliced
8 sheets of. phyllo pastry, defrost according to package directions
olive oil
fresh thyme
olive oil spray for ease of coating the phyllo
tart pan with removable bottom, I used a rectangle pan 11-1/2 x 7 -1/2

Instructions

Peel, dice and roast the squash at 400F til slightly golden and tender on a baking sheet drizzled with olive oil, salt, pepper and a little fresh thyme ( you'll definitely have extra leftover). Slice your onions leaving root in tact so they stay together when roasting.
In a large bowl add the ricotta, eggs, spinach, garlic, pecorino and shredded provolone and mix it all up very well to a smooth consistency, add salt and pepper to taste.
Spray or oil your tart pan, then one by one add a sheet of phyllo, spraying or brushing oil on each one as you go, layer by layer into your tart pan, at the same time being careful to cover the remaining sheets with a damp cloth so they don't dry out.
When all the layers of phyllo are completed and oiled and into the tart pan, spread the ricotta mixture all over evenly.
Top the ricotta with your roasted vegetables evenly spacing it all over. (I'm sure you'll have some extra squash leftover.)
Tuck the ends of the phyllo all around the ricotta and tart pan.
Spray or oil the crust all around.
Add some fresh thyme, a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkling of pecorino all around.
Place the tart pan on a baking sheet and roast at 400F for around 30 or so minutes until ricotta is set and the crust is deep golden.
Let it cool down before cutting into it.

3 Comments Filed Under: Savory Tarts, Vegetables Tagged: butternut squash, phyllo pastry, savory ricotta tart

Butternut Squash Gnocchi with Sage and Brown Butter

November 20, 2020 by Marie 4 Comments

Thanksgiving isn’t all about the turkey, yes turkey is all well and good, but to me Thanksgiving is all about the sides! One of my favorite sides are these butternut squash gnocchi.

I’ve been serving them for years at my Thanksgiving table. I normally make them a week or two ahead of time and have them tucked in my freezer until turkey day.

They may be small in size but not in flavor, they’re slightly sweet with the rich flavor of parmesan cheese running through every tender bite.

You start out by roasting your squash, roasting the squash adds to the depth of flavor, when tender and soft cool it down and then scoop out the pulp.

Next you’ll toss it into a food processor until it becomes nice and smooth without any lumps.

What I’ve learned over the years is that after processing the squash you’ll see that the squash holds onto some moisture, so a good thing to do is to toss the pureed squash into a sauce pan and cook it down until you see the moisture disappear, maybe five or ten minutes. When you cook some of the moisture out you won’t have to keep adding flour, which in turn could make them too heavy and doughy.

Then you’ll want to make sure to cool the mixture down completely before you start mixing in the flour and other ingredients.

NOTE: I always test my gnocchi before I form all of them. I boil a few just to see if they stay together, this will ensure you that your mixture is sturdy enough and they won’t fall apart and become mushy in the water. Sometimes you might have to add a little more flour. This is a very important step!

No doubt making gnocchi is a labor of love but I can tell you it’s worth every bit of the time it takes, and remember you can make them ahead at your convenience.

There is no ricotta or potato added to these gnocchi, it is straight up butternut squash that’s permeating throughout these tender bundles.

Gnocchi take very little time to cook, always place them into salted boiling water, as soon as they float up to the top they’re basically done. Never ever pour them into a big strainer, you need to hand scoop them out like shown in thee picture above. Gnocchi are very delicate.

A quick toss into toasty brown butter flavored with frizzled sage, if you want you can add a touch of pasta water to loosen the sauce up a bit.

Brown butter sauce is the perfect compliment to these delicious gnocchi!

My Thanksgiving plate from years past where’s there’s always room for the butternut squash gnocchi, and I should say that the leftovers are just as good the next day!

5.0 from 1 reviews

Butternut Squash Gnocchi with Parmesan, Sage and Brown Butter

Butternut squash with hints of parmesan in every tender bite!

Author: Marie

Ingredients

FOR THE GNOCCHI
1 large butternut squash, around 3 lbs. roasted then pureed to yield 2 cups
1 heaping ½ cup of grated Parmigiano Reggiano plus extra for garnish
1 large egg, whisked
1 teaspoon, salt
pinch of black pepper
2 plus cups of all purpose, unbleached flour
FOR THE BROWN BUTTER SAUCE
1 stick of unsalted butter
a handful of fresh sage leaves

Instructions

Carefully cut the squash in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, drizzle each half with olive oil, salt and pepper and place onto a parchment lined baking sheet, cut side down, at 375 until tender and the tip of a knife goes through easily 40 minutes or so.
Scoop the flesh of the squash out and place it into a food processor, puree until completely smooth with no lumps.
Place pureed squash into a sauce pan on medium heat, stirring often to evaporate any moisture that might be showing up in the mixture.
Next cool down that mixture completely, so place the pan into the fridge until completely cooled .
Now you’re ready to start forming the gnocchi.
In a bowl add the pureed squash with parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and egg.. Then add the flour little by little into the mixture and work together by hand. It will be very sticky, you might need to add more flour, or even less, just judge by the feel of the dough, you have to be able to roll it.
Once smooth, flour the work surface, Divide dough into 6 pieces and then roll each piece into a long strip, about ½ inch wide. Cut the strip into ½ inch pieces.
Using a gnocchi board, a fork, the back of a grater or just as is, to create ridges. Place each piece on floured wax paper and repeat with the rest of the dough.
At this point you can freeze them in single layer until solid frozen then place the gnocchi into zip lock bags until ready to use.
When ready to eat, have a large pot of salted water going, when boiling add the frozen gnocchi, (don't let the water boil so so hard, lower it a bit) when they float up to the top, they’re pretty much done, but you can test one to make sure. Always take them out of the water with a hand strainer like a Chinese spider, never pour them into a big strainer, gnocchi are delicate.
You don't ever want your gnocchi to blow up and over cook, they should have a little bite to them.
While the gnocchi is in the water cooking make your brown butter sauce by melting the butter over medium heat, when it starts to to smell nutty and turn golden brown toss in your sage leaves and let them fizzle.
Take your gnocchi from the water with a hand strainer, gently and place them into the brown butter sauce, tossing till covered, If you want to loosen the sauce up a bit, add a little pasta water, then add more parmigiano.
They're ready to eat now!

4 Comments Filed Under: Fall, Pasta, Side Dishes Tagged: brown butter and sage, butternut squash, gnocchi

Butternut Squash Pasta With Sage And Parsley Breadcrumbs

October 9, 2020 by Marie 6 Comments

This is an easy fall dinner meal using my favorite butternut squash, it is after all squash season. It’s amazing how many meals you can create using squash, it’s so versatile, I never tire of it, plus meatless meals are good for you!

I had a medium sized butternut squash that I peeled then cut into one inch chunks, drizzled with olive oil, salt and pepper and roasted in a 400F oven til golden and pretty much of the moisture gone.

Now if you do this a day ahead or early in the day this meal can be on your table in no time, which I recommend.

Then your going to grab a good handful of fresh parsley as well as fresh sage leaves, and nicely chop them up.

Then take a sauté pan and add a nice dollup of butter and a healthy swirl of olive oil. Add one or two crushed garlic cloves along with roughly 2 cups of (preferably) homemade bread crumbs. Toast them up really good then add in your chopped herbs along with a generous half a cup or so of grated parmesan cheese.

Taste if salt and pepper is needed, set aside in a bowl, you’ll be tossing them in at the end and you’ll want them to stay crispy.

Please don’t worry about exact measurements!

Then boil the pasta of your choice, I used 1/2 pound of linguine but you can use any shape at all. Chunky rigatoni, orecchiette, ziti, pappardelle, what ever, I just wouldn’t use tiny shapes.

Lastly take the sauté pan that you toasted the bread crumbs in, drizzle it with olive oil, warm up your cooked squash if need be then toss in your cooked pasta and maybe a little pasta water to loosen it up.

Shut off the heat, top and toss the crispy breadcrumbs right in, add some more parmesan and a nice drizzle of olive oil and garnish with some fried sage leaves for a nice presentation, serve immediately.

It’s really very quick and simple to do and so delicious!

Enjoy

6 Comments Filed Under: Fall, Pasta, Vegetables Tagged: butternut squash, homemade breadcrumbs, parsley and sage, pasta and squash, quick and easy meal

Butternut Squash Risotto with Crispy Sage

November 5, 2017 by Marie 4 Comments

There’s nothing more satisfying than a piping hot pot of creamy risotto, the variations and combinations of fresh seasonal vegetables and spices you can use are endless. I’ve posted many different risotto’s throughout the different seasons on this blog but my absolute favorite this time of year is, butternut squash risotto.

Roasted butternut squash gets folded into a creamy rice base flavored with parmesan, white wine, a hint of sage, onion and broth, then topped with crispy browned butter sage leaves, it is heavenly!

This dish could be the star of the show or play a supporting role as a side dish, below I’ll show you how I paired it with roasted shrimp, another wonderful variation.

I like to cut up my own squash, I usually buy a large one, dice it up and roast the whole thing and you can do this days ahead of time. Of course you won’t need that much for the risotto you’ll have extra but that’s a good thing, you can toss it into salads, soups, pasta, stews and omelettes, you get the picture it will never go to waste.

Using quality ingredients are the key to a good risotto, a short grain Italian rice called arborio, some good white wine that you would drink yourself, and an absolute must is freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano.

Have everything prepped and ready to go including a good heavy bottomed pot and of course a wooden spoon.

Before you begin you want to make sure the broth that you’re using is nice and warm and continually simmering on your stove, you never want to add cold broth to your risotto, that’s a no no!

There’s a hint of sage within the risotto, but then you top it off with crispy sage that’s been frizzled in brown butter, it gets broken up when scooping from the pot adding more delicious flavor through out.

If you want to serve a really spectacular dish, one that will impress your guests beyond and truly rival any restaurant meal, add some roasted shrimp on top, oh my!

Don’t let the whole process of making risotto intimidate you, it’s a cinch once you get the hang of it and it’s definitely worth it in the end!

Follow me on Instagram to see what else I’m cooking up during the week.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Butternut Squash Risotto with Crispy Sage

Author: Marie

Ingredients

1 large butternut squash, peeled, trimmed, cut into ½ inch dice and roasted, you will need about 2 cups for this recipe, save extra for other dishes
1½ cups of short grain, Italian arborio rice
1 quart box organic chicken stock or veggie if you prefer, low salt or homemade if you have it
heaping cup or more to of freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
½ cup good white wine
½ large onion, small dice
1 tablespoon of fresh chopped sage plus extra leaves to crisp up in the end
butter
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

PREPARING THE SQUASH
Prepare your squash a day or two ahead of time. Cut off the tip and bottom. Peel the skin with a vegetable peeler then cut the squash in half crosswise where the neck meets the fatter part. Stand it up and make slices about ½ inch thick, stack the slices and continue to dice into ½ dice.
Place cut squash onto a rimmed baking sheet drizzled with olive oil and salt and pepper roast in a 425 degree oven, tossing gently until tender and golden and the moisture is out, it doesn't take too long, maybe 15 minutes or so, keep checking.
If doing ahead of time let the squash cool down and place it into a container and refrigerate it. When ready to use just pull it out and get it to room temperature.
MAKING THE RISOTTO
Open your stock, place it into a saucepan and have it simmering on the stove.
In a heavy bottomed pot on medium heat add 1 tablespoon of butter and a quick drizzle of olive oil.
Add your diced onion and cook until soft.
Add in the rice and stir with a wooden spoon, making sure to get it heated through and covered with the butter and olive oil.
Deglaze with the white wine, letting it bubble and cook down until you're starting to see no moisture.
Add in one ladle full of the simmered broth stirring until the liquid is absorbed, then repeat with another ladle full.
Continue with the adding of broth and stirring constantly, you'll start to see the grain releasing their starch which creates the creaminess for the ultimate risotto.
The rice should be slightly al'dente and not over cooked, so towards the end you'll have to taste as you go.
When desired creaminess is attained remove from heat, stir in the chopped fresh sage and freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano,taste for salt and pepper then gently fold in your butternut squash.
in a small skillet add a ½ stick of butter, let it start to brown then throw in a handful of fresh sage leaves and let them frizzle and crisp up.
Garnish your risotto with the crispy sage leaves and spoon a little of that brown butter sauce all around the top.
Enjoy!

4 Comments Filed Under: Rice and Risotto, Seafood, Vegetables Tagged: brown butter and sage, butternut squash, shrimp risotto

Noodle-less Loaf Pan Butternut Squash Lasagna

October 2, 2017 by Marie 11 Comments

Butternut Squash is hands down my favorite winter squash, come fall I can’t get enough of it and you’ll always see one or two sitting on my kitchen counter. Butternut squash is so versatile, you can put it in just about everything and believe me I have!

If you look through my blog you’ll see different ways that I’ve used it over the years, and one of the ways is in a lasagna. Butternut squash has a slightly sweet, buttery nutty flavor and it goes wonderful with creamy ricotta and a béchamel sauce, it’s so decadent and delicious.

This is the time of year when my garden is full of sage and butternut squash and sage make a perfect pairing together, I especially love to infuse my béchamel sauce with garlic and sage, it’s dreamy.

If you search my archives you’ll see that I once made individual butternut squash lasagna’s minus the noodles in a free form manner. For this time I wanted to try making it in a loaf pan which allowed me to get many layers and some nice height, and this version is minus the noodles as well. The loaf pan holds everything nicely together and gives the lasagna a little more structure since the pasta is not there to give it more body.

I lined my loaf pan with parchment, (which is optional) because honestly I wanted to un-mold it and take a nice photo to show you, but you have to really cool it down to be able to remove the parchment without destroying your lasagna, so I would suggest make it the day before or early in the morning if you want to do the same, chilling it for an easy removal, then just warm it and serve it with warm béchamel, otherwise make it without the parchment.

Either way it’s magical and tastes like a dream and trust me you won’t miss the pasta at all, in fact I prefer it without because all the flavors are true and not soaked up by the pasta.

The loaf pan makes you able to create multiple layers of goodness, just remember to let it set before cutting into it so all the creaminess can tighten up a bit, just like a traditional lasagna it’s a mess if you cut into it hot, the layers get lost.

I hope you try my noodle-less, loaf pan butternut squash lasagna, I promise you won’t miss the pasta one bit!

Follow along with me on Instagram to see what else I’m making during the week.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Noodle-less Loaf Pan Butternut Squash Lasagna

Author: Marie

Ingredients

1 loaf pan, buttered, lined with parchment which is an optional step for removal of whole loaf
NOTE; If you don't want to remove whole lasagna out of the pan, omit parchment.
2 butternut squash, peeled and sliced lengthwise (as much as possible, then into lengthwise pieces) roasted at 375 on a rimmed baking sheet at 375 until softened up a bit but still al'dente
3 cups, ricotta cheese
½ cup grated pecorino cheese, plus extra for garnish
1½ cups fresh baby spinach, chopped
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1 egg
salt and pepper to taste
BECHAMEL SAUCE
2 cups, whole milk
4 tablespoons, flour
4 tablespoons, butter
sprig of sage, plus extra for garnish
1 garlic clove, smashed
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Roast sliced squash a head of time so it can cool down. Set aside.
Mix up the ricotta mixture with the chopped spinach, egg, grated cheese's, both pecorino and mozzarella, salt and pepper. Set aside.
TO MAKE THE BECHAMEL SAUCE;
In a saucepan, melt butter, add garlic then whisk in flour until it incorporates and turns golden, not dark brown.
Pour in a few tablespoons of the milk, whisking until moistened.
Add the remaining milk whisking vigorously until it starts to thicken and right before it starts to bubble on the sides, take it off the heat.
Now the layering process begins, add a couple of tablespoons of bechamel to the bottom of pan, then a layer of squash, enough to fit all the edges and middle of the pan. Spread ricotta layer on top, smooth with the back of a spoon or an off set spatula, add two more tablespoons of sauce and repeat layers until you reach the top of the loaf pan, reserving the prettiest looking pieces of squash for the very top.
Spread the top with bechamel and sprinkle with pecorino and top with some sage leaves before baking.
Bake 350- 375 uncovered until cheese is melted and heated through, and golden on top, ovens vary with time, check after 30 minutes.
Let it set up before cutting, mine set for 2 hours.
You should have extra sauce to serve with it, if you want more bechamel just double the recipe.
Enjoy!

11 Comments Filed Under: Fall, Vegetables Tagged: bechamel sauce, butternut squash, butternut squash lasagna, gluten free, lasagna, lasagne, low carb, sage infused bechmal

Butternut Squash Pizza with Sage Walnut Pesto

October 27, 2016 by Marie 3 Comments

As promised I would like to announce the winner of the beautiful Lagostina Hammered Copper Pastaiola, and the winner is… DIANE KANTOR! Congratulations Diane, I will be contacting you by email to get your address so the company can ship it directly to you.

Can I just tell you something? I adore this pizza! It highlights roasted butternut squash on a bed of garlicky ricotta with touches of sage and walnut pesto floating around, the simple flavors of fall on top of crispy and crunchy pizza dough.

When making this pizza you’ll want to seek out a squash that has a long neck because that’s what you’ll be using to make those nice round slices which I think it adds so much to the presentation, don’t you?

I was immediately drawn to the looks of this pizza when I saw a photo posted on none other than Pinterest but I wanted to add my own little twist with the sage and walnut pesto, I thought it would be extra delicious with little dollops all over the warm pizza, and guess what? I was right.

I have so much sage still growing in my garden and this was another way to enjoy it, and as all fresh pesto’s it takes no time to whip it up. I also like using the sage pesto with other things like fish, chicken, pasta, root vegetables, swirled into mashed potatoes and risotto, the possibilities are endless and a little goes a long way and it just screams fall to me!

If you make your own pizza dough, I applaud you, I’m not that fond of working with yeast so I always buy my pizza dough, but fortunately for me I have an excellent source with excellent quality dough, so it makes my life easier.

Serve this with a nice green salad and you’ll have a fantastic fall dinner!

(Follow me on Instagram to see what else I’m cooking up during the week)

5.0 from 1 reviews

Butternut Squash Pizza with Sage Walnut Pesto

This recipe is adapted from Alexandra's Kitchen

Author: Marie

Ingredients

SAGE AND WALNUT PESTO
1 cup sage leaves
¾ cup parsley
1 small garlic clove
¾ cup toasted walnuts
½ cup of grated Parmesan
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
and a squeeze of lemon for brightness
PIZZA
1 dough ball, homemade or store bought, enough for 1 pizza
1 butternut squash, look for a long neck so you can cut it into round slices, reserve the bulb part for something else.
ricotta
1 smashed garlic clove
shredded dry mozzarella
parmesan cheese

Instructions

FOR THE PESTO
Place everything into a food processor, except for the olive oil, I used my mini processor.
Pulse it, chopping the nuts and combining everything then start drizzling the oil down the tube until it has a loose consistency characteristic of pesto. Season with salt and pepper.
FOR THE PIZZA AND EARLIER IN THE DAY
Cut the long neck off of a butternut squash, peel it with a vegetable peeler, then cut quarter inch round slices..
Roast the slices in a hot 400 degree oven drizzled with olive oil, single layer until tender, set aside.
I like to let my dough sit out for a couple of hours so it becomes nice and pliable.
When ready to cook, heat oven to a hot 500 degrees, oil your pizza pan then sprinkle some corn meal or polenta on the bottom.
Dust your fingers with a little flour then work your dough into the pan stretching it with your finger tips until it reaches the edges, then place it into the oven for 5 minutes, no longer! Then remove it.
Dough might rise up but just punch it down.
Quickly mix up some ricotta with the smashed garlic and a little salt and pepper, enough to swipe and cover the whole bottom of the dough with just a thin layer.
Sprinkle a little mozzarella on top then add the butternut squash rounds filling the top.
Add some grated parmesan on top of the squash, then brush olive oil onto the edges of the crust then do a quick drizzle on top.
Place pizza into the oven until it reaches a deep golden brown on the crust edges and bottom.
While still warm add dollops of the sage and walnut pesto.

3 Comments Filed Under: Pizza, Sauces, Uncategorized, Vegetables Tagged: butternut squash, pizza, sage, sage pesto

Autumn Sformato, a Savory Italian Custard

September 27, 2016 by Marie 10 Comments

I like to describe sformato as a little Italian souffle, a savory flan or an Italian custard that can be made savory or sweet and often served in individual portions. They’re usually made in a ramekin then un-molded for a nice presentation and served with a sauce of some sort.

Here I made a favorite of mine, a savory version filled with a puree of butternut squash, creamy parmesan cheese and a few other ingredients that give it it’s dreamy texture.

I posted this some years ago but adjusted the recipe a little and wanted to share it with you again since it’s the perfect starter, side dish or light veggie entree for a nice autumn meal.

Squash is everywhere now and all you need to do is roast some up and scoop out the pulp!
I love the combination of butternut squash and Parmigiano Regggiano they compliment each other so well and are the base for this savory sformato.

When cooked and cooled down the sformato will un-mold onto a plate very easy.

A parmesan cream sauce, some crispy sage, toasted pumpkin seeds and a swipe of balsamic glaze takes this over the top, and I mean over the top!

Each spoonful is beyond words, you have to make this!

Come see what I’m cooking up during the week, you can follow me on Instagram here.

5.0 from 2 reviews

Autumn Sformato

Author: Marie

Ingredients

1 large butternut squash, roasted with pulp scraped out, should equal around 2 cups for 4 ramekins.
1 egg
½ cup of grated Parmigiano Reggiano and more for sauce and garnish
2 tablespoons, mascarpone
½ cup of half and half or heavy cream
salt and pepper too taste
SAUCE
2 cups of half and half or heavy cream reduced down
a handful of grated Parmigiano Reggiano to toss into the cream
balsamic glaze, pumpkin seeds, crispy sage and extra parm for garnish

Instructions

preheat oven to 350. I recommend doing the squash the day before or early in the day.
Cut your squash in half, scoop out the seeds, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper then place cut side down on parchment and roast until a knife pierces all the way through easily. Times will vary depending on the size of squash.
Scoop out the squash the puree it smooth in a food processor, your squash puree is now finished.
Then into a bowl add the rest of the ingredients, 2 cups of squash puree, the egg, mascarpone, parm, half and half, salt and pepper.
Pour mixture into a buttered ramekin.
Place ramekins into a baking dish with water to come up halfway to the sides, place a sheet of tin foil on top.
Bake at 375 for around 30 to 40 minutes or until custard is set and cooked without jiggling.
Let it cool down and make the sauce.
PARMESAN CREAM SAUCE
Reduce half and half or heavy cream in a small saucepan, cook on low heat until it thickens then turn off heat and add the cheese.
Unmold your sformato onto an individual plate, spoon some of the sauce on top.
Sprinkle pumpkin seeds around and a swipe of balsamic glaze.
Crisp up some sage leaves in brown butter for garnish.

10 Comments Filed Under: Appetizers, Side Dishes, Vegetables Tagged: butternut squash, italian custard, savory flan, sformato

Winter Salad with Squash and Hardy Greens

January 7, 2016 by Marie 5 Comments

I don’t know about you but I’m in desperate need of some healthy salads now that the holidays are behind us, in fact I couldn’t wait to run out and buy a bunch of greens. I settled on three gorgeous heads of escarole and my favorite, cavolo nero or Tuscan kale.

I never thought of using escarole in a salad because I normally eat it cooked, in a soup or with beans but I thought these two hearty greens would hold up well together when I layered strips of roasted butternut squash on top along with roasted chickpeas, walnuts and a few other things, and I was right!

I’ve always been a kale fan for salads but now I’m a newly converted escarole salad fan. It’s crunchy, it stays crispy (which I love), it’s hardy and it has a very mild, and an ever so slight bitterness that balanced out the buttery sweet squash. Please give it a try, you won’t be disappointed and besides,it’s really nice and refreshing to break away from the norm.

I love making shards of butternut squash and then roasting them, they look so pretty in a salad or tossed into some pasta, in a frittata or on top of a pizza. I try to buy a squash that has a long neck, because basically that’s the part you’ll be using for this. Remove the skin first with your vegetable peeler then continue making strips turning the neck part as you go.

Toss them gently in a little olive oil, salt and pepper and roast in a 400 degree oven, keep watching, they could burn quick. Sometimes I move them to the top rack to get rid of some of the moisture and keep a better eye on them.

Let the squash cool down before you add it to the salad. There’s no real recipe here, just a list of ingredients that I used and that I could honestly say was so delicious and went very well together.

Along with the kale, escarole and butternut squash shards, I added roasted chickpeas, feta cheese, toasted walnuts and pomegranate seeds all tossed together with a vinaigrette made of olive oil and white balsamic.

This salad is hardy, healthy and just perfect to finish out the cold winter months, and don’t forget you can follow along with me on Instagram to see what I’m cooking up during the week!

5 Comments Filed Under: Salads, Vegetables, Winter Tagged: butternut squash, escarole, hardy greens, kale

Butternut, Delicata, and Acorn Squash Gratin with Crispy Sage

October 16, 2015 by Marie 25 Comments

Today I’m giving you a little inspiration for your Thanksgiving Day table, the holidays are right around the corner, so it’s time to start planning, can you believe it?

This deliciously creamy gratin combines three of my favorite winter squash, butternut, delicata and acorn.

They sit nice and pretty in a parmesan and garlic cream sauce and are adorned with crispy sage leaves, you couldn’t ask for a better combination of flavors!

Besides tasting over the top amazing, I love the presentation that happens by using the different squash shapes together.

I pre-roasted my squash a little, then layered them into a buttered casserole dish.

The cream sauce is made ahead of time then carefully spooned all around the squash slices being careful to leave some squash peeking through, that’s what makes the presentation so pretty.

It’s a show stopper for the holiday season when we’re all allowed to indulge a little!

Wouldn’t this be dreamy sitting next to your Turkey this year?

Proud Italian Cook is on Instagram, follow me there to see what I’m cooking up daily!

5.0 from 4 reviews

Butternut, Delicata, and Acorn Squash Gratin with Crispy Sage

A winter squash gratin, the perfect side dish for the holiday season or just to impress your guests.

Author: Marie

Ingredients

1 butternut squash, neck part only, skin removed, then cut into rounds
1 delicata squash, skin on, then sliced into rings, remove pulp and seeds
1 acorn squash, skin on, remove pulp and seeds, quarter it then make slices,
cut all squash about ¼ inch slices, not too thick and not too thin
2 cups, heavy cream
2 handfuls of grated Parmigiano Reggiano
2 finely grated garlic cloves, done on a microplane
¾ stick of unsalted butter
1 bunch of fresh sage leaves

Instructions

I pre- roasted all the squash just to make sure it wouldn't be hard, on a baking sheet at 400 degrees, drizzled with olive oil, sprinkled with salt and pepper, just until al dente, where it still had a little bite.
After they cool place squash into a buttered 13x9 casserole dish. (these first two steps can be done the day before and refrigerated overnight, before adding cream sauce.) If you do it the day before, take it out and get it to room temp, before adding sauce.
TO MAKE THE CREAM SAUCE:
In a small sauce pan on low flame, add butter and garlic, just until garlic is fragrant, not brown, then add cream, salt and pepper too taste.
Simmer cream sauce just until the edges start to bubble, then turn off the heat and let it set up for a minute.
Add the Parmigiano, stir well, then spoon the cream sauce all around the squash in casserole dish, leaving some of the squash exposed but spreading it all around and in between.
Place casserole dish into a 450 degree oven until bubbly and nicely golden, keep checking.
Garnish with crispy sage leaves, by melting a tablespoon or two of butter in a small pan, when butter is hot throw the leaves in and they will start to sizzle and get crispy, remove immediately.

25 Comments Filed Under: Fall, Side Dishes, Vegetables Tagged: acorn squash, butternut squash, crispy sage, delicada squash, gratin, holiday side dish, Thanksgiving

Polenta on a Board Topped with Butternut Squash and Mixed Mushrooms

October 5, 2015 by Marie 13 Comments

The weather has officially cooled down and now we’re well into the fall season, comfort foods are slowly creeping into my kitchen, and a meal that I love making in this cooler weather is, creamy warm polenta topped with pretty much anything.

I’ve posted polenta several times on this blog, but this time I’m serving it on a wooden board, yes a board, it’s casual, rustic, communal and a fun way to eat it.

Cook up your polenta, make it nice and creamy, then immediately pour it onto a wooden board, spread it around then top it with almost anything you can imagine. It’s the perfect base for sauteed greens, a nice meaty red sauce, roasted veggies, a wild mushroom ragu, even poached eggs, the list is endless!

You can use any size wooden cutting board that you might have, or buy a designated polenta board that is either round or a very long rectangle, both can be placed in the center of a table for a big polenta party, depending on the size you can either double or even triple the recipe, or you can use a pizza peel like I did, which is a good size for a smaller amount.

I decided to top mine with oyster, crimini and beech mushrooms, I love the different variety of mushrooms I’m seeing all over.

And of course butternut squash because they’re a match made in heaven!

I roast both of the veggies ahead of the time and with the mushrooms I like to add some garlic and thyme.

Place everything on top, put your board in the middle of the table, grab a spoon or a fork and dig in!

Proud Italian Cook is also on Instagram, you can find me here.

5.0 from 2 reviews

Polenta on a Board Topped with Butternut Squash and Mixed Mushrooms

A casual and fun way to eat creamy polenta!

Author: Marie

Ingredients

1 small butternut squash, cut into a small dice, then tossed in olive oil and pre-roasted on a sheet pan at 400 degrees until lightly golden
assorted mushrooms of your choice, at least 1½ lbs. pre-roasted at 400 degrees with 3 chopped garlic cloves and a few sprigs of fresh thyme
1 cup of quick cooking polenta
4 cups of liquid, I like to use 2 cups milk and 2 cups broth
1 teaspoon of salt
2 handfuls of grated Parmigiano Reggiano
a little butter and olive oil

Instructions

Put the liquid and salt into a heavy pot, get it to boiling then reduce heat to a low simmer and whisk in the polenta, then get a wooden spoon and get stirring until nice and creamy.
Take it off the stove add in a tablespoon of butter, a drizzle of olive oil and the cheese, stirring until incorporated.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Quickly spread onto your wooden board, then top with all your veggies.
Drizzle more olive oil on top, and a little more grated cheese, serve immediately

13 Comments Filed Under: Fall, Grains, Vegetables Tagged: butternut squash, creamy polenta, polenta, wild mushrooms

Butternut Squash Lasagna Roll Ups

October 16, 2014 by Marie 22 Comments

I’m sorry, but I’m at it again with butternut squash. I can’t help it, it’s so creamy, delicious and nutritious and it just screams fall to me! Not only that, it’s versatile and can be used in various dishes, just check out my archives for several different ways that I’ve used it in the past.

Sure, I’ve made your typical type lasagna using butternut squash but recently I realized that I never used it in a lasagna roll up.

I’m seriously considering this as my pasta side for Thanksgiving dinner this year, it’s that good!

Now lets talk sauce, which is based on a recipe from Chef frank De Carlo, well it just elevates the dish and funny thing is, you don’t really need alot. If you look at my top photo you’ll see I just put a little on the bottom of my baking dish and then I spooned some on top of each roll up, it’s not heavy at all, it’s dreamy!

Infuse some sage into melted butter and shallots, deglaze with broth, whisk in a small amount of pureed squash, add a little bit of cream and some parmesan. This is definitely party worthy!

Roasted and mashed butternut squash, chopped spinach, a mixture of ricotta, parmesan and asiago with a slight hint of garlic and lemon zest fills the pasta noodles.

The day I made this my whole family stopped over for one reason or another, I made a big salad to go along with it, and it was devoured in seconds!

Great as a stand alone meal right now, but certainly worthy for the upcoming holiday season. I see Thanksgiving side written all over this!

Lucky me, I was the recipient of all these beautiful squashes, so no doubt you will be seeing more squash recipes here in the future.

They were sent to me by a wonderful local company called Door to Door Organics, where you can have fresh organic and local produce, plus grocery items delivered right to your home. It’s funny because I had used them myself way before they ever even contacted me.

If you’re a regular reader of my blog you know how I love my veggies so this offer for me to try was a win win for me! I remember in the dead of winter last year how happy I was to see my order sitting outside my front door. What I love about the company is that there’s is no commitment, you could stop and start whenever you want.

So for all my readers who live in the Chicagoland area and want to give Door to Door Organics a try, here’s a ten dollar off coupon for you on your first order.

Now on to the recipe!

Butternut Squash Lasagna Roll Ups

Ingredients

1 good sized butternut squash
2½ cups of cooked butternut squash for the entire recipe, 2 cups will be for filling mixture, ½ cup will be reserved for the sauce
1 cup, ricotta
¼ cup of frozen, chopped spinach, measured after it is drained well
½ cup of grated parmesan
⅓ cup of grated asiago
1 egg
zest of 1 lemon
1 small garlic clove grated on a microplane
salt and pepper to taste
8 or 9 cooked lasagna noodles
FOR THE SAUCE
½ cup of reserved squash pulp, pureed smoother than the pulp for the filling
2 shallots, or ½ of a white onion, finely diced
½ stick, unsalted butter
1 small bunch of sage leaves
¾ cup of stock, I used chicken
¾ cup of cream
½ cup of grated parmesan
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Prepare your squash ahead of time. Cut lengthwise, with skin still on, remove seeds and roast the squash, cut side down at 350 degrees until tender and a knife goes through with ease, close to an hour. Let it cool, then scoop out pulp.
FILLING MIXTURE
Mash 2 cups of the squash pulp into small chunks, making it easy for spreading.
Add in ricotta, egg, cheeses,grated garlic, zest, salt and pepper, mix together well, then fold in spinach until incorporated.
SAUCE
Make your sauce by sauteing shallots in the butter with the sage leaves until slightly golden, then deglaze with the broth and whisk in the ½ cup of the well pureed squash that was reserved until nice and smooth on low heat.
Whisk in the cream and add the grated parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
INSTRUCTIONS
Spread about 3 tablespoons of filling on each cooked lasagna noodle, then roll up and place them seam side down on a shallow baking dish that has some of the sauce spooned onto the bottom. Spoon sauce on top of each lasagna roll up, plus grate a little parmesan cheese on top of each.
Bake uncovered in a 350 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes, sauce will be set and top will be slightly golden. There should be extra sauce for serving.
This whole recipe can easily be doubled.

22 Comments Filed Under: Fall, Party Foods, Pasta, Vegetables Tagged: butternut squash, lasagna rollups, veggie lasagna

Butternut Squash Noodles with Sausage, Mushrooms and Kale

September 23, 2014 by Marie 11 Comments

Here I go again with my Spiralizer, but this time it’s all about butternut squash “noodles”! As soon as fall arrives you’ll always see a butternut squash or two sitting on my counter, it’s my favorite squash, it’s so versatile and easy to incorporate into so many meals.

If you did a search on my blog you would see how often I cook with it. I’ve made ravioli, polenta, lasagna, tarts, salads, pizza, I could go on and on and one of my most popular recipes, butternut squash gnocchi, I always get requests for it.

I like using a Spiralizer because you really get spaghetti like strands, in the past I’ve used a julienne peeler and while that works pretty good you don’t get that curly continuous look of real spaghetti. A good tip to remember when making spiralized butternut squash is to pick a squash on the smaller size that has a long neck on it, because basically you’ll just be using the neck of the squash, just dice and roast up the bulb part for something else.

See how long and curly the strands are? It’s a wonderful thing!

You’ll have to slightly roast the squash beforehand by placing the “noodles” on a baking sheet, tossed and drizzled with olive oil, a little salt and pepper. Roast at 400 degrees for a mere five minutes or so. I personally like to check them as they’re roasting by taking my tongs and tossing them just to make sure they don’t over cook, you want them slightly limp with no signs of burning, they’re delicate. You’re not looking for mushy and overdone, you want al’dente like pasta.

I added crumbles of spicy Italian sausage that I pre-cooked, roasted mushrooms and kale that was sauteed in olive oil, minced garlic and red pepper flakes.

Gently toss everything together and add a ton of freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano and another pass of your best olive oil.

This is heaven in on a plate!

11 Comments Filed Under: Fall, Greens, Vegetables Tagged: butternut squash, butternut squash noodles, gluten free, kale, Spiralizer, squash noodles

Butternut Squash – Filled Roasted Pork Loin

January 9, 2014 by Marie 9 Comments

What do you get when you open up a pork loin, rub it down with garlic, olive oil and tuscan herbs, smother it with roasted mashed butternut squash and then tie it back up? I’ll tell you… The most delicious flavor combination with an absolutely beautiful presentation!

I saw this recipe in the cookbook Fabio’s Italian Kitchen, the minute I saw the photo I was smitten and couldn’t wait to make it. Swirls of butternut squash between layers of pork, what’s not to like!

This is the second time I’ve made this roast, the first time I followed the original recipe but this time I adapted it a little bit using those Tuscan herbs in that cute little crock above that were gifted to me by family who vacationed in Florence, Italy a few months ago. It’s a combination of sage, rosemary, crushed peppercorns and thyme.

The most important thing about this recipe is that you have to cut open your pork loin properly and turn it into a 1/4 inch thick slab. The book explains how to do it but I needed a visual so I found a YouTube that showed me very quickly how to do it. After I opened it up I pounded it down to the thickness I wanted.

Then all you have to do is rub your herby mixture all over the top which adds to the overall flavor as your end result.

Next, take your pre-roasted and mashed butternut squash and spread that on top of your herb mixture. Feel free to use your favorite mix of herbs, any combination would do. In the book Fabio just used garlic with minced sage which I tried the first time and that was very, very good!

Now carefully roll up the loin not pressing down too much as you don’t want that filling to squish out, then tie it up with some butchers twine!

I like roasting it on a rack so that it crisps up all over, make sure you follow the internal temperature posted so that the roast stays moist, you can be adventurous and possibly have a creamy cider sauce to serve along with it.

When it’s finished let it rest about fifteen minutes before cutting into it, I like to cut right through the middle first.

It’s all about cutting the pork loin correctly, then I promise you’ll have no problem achieving that perfect spiral.

This dish tastes amazing and it’s a pretty spectacular presentation. It’s just perfect for the fall season,Thanksgiving or any holiday get together.

Here’s my adapted version.

Butternut Squash – Filled Roasted Pork Loin

Ingredients

1 small butternut squash, cut lengthwise, seeds scooped out and roasted until tender at 375 F.
1 pork loin 2½ lb.
1 large garlic clove, minced finely
3 tablespoons or more of a Tuscan dry herb mixture of sage, rosemary, thyme and cracked black peppercorns
3 tablespoons of olive oil
heaping teaspoon of salt
butchers twine

Instructions

After the squash is cooked tender and cooled, mash it up.
In a small bowl mix the olive oil, herbs, garlic and salt together and let it sit for a bit.
Open up your pork loin to ¼ inch thickness
Rub oil and herb mixture all over the top.
Spread mashed butternut squash on top and all over herb mixture.
Start at one end and roll up and tie with butchers twine.
Place pork loin in a roasting pan, brush with more oil and herb mixture then roast in the oven at 375 F. until internal temperature reaches 165 F.
Cut into thick slices and present the whole loin at the table for serving.

9 Comments Filed Under: Fall, Meats, Party Foods Tagged: butternut squash, fall food, holiday food, pork loin, stuffed pork

Creamy Polenta with Butternut Squash and Spinach

December 9, 2013 by Marie 17 Comments

I can’t think of a better dish for a cold wintery night. Creamy, cheesey, polenta laced with roasted butternut squash and chopped spinach. Guaranteed to warm you up from the inside out. Comfort food in the most delicious way!
Chicago received it’s first snow yesterday and with temperatures predicted mostly in the teens all week the reality of winter is in full force, so it’s comfort foods that are calling my name. Hearty enough to eat alone or with a nice green salad or it’s just plain wonderful as a side dish next to baked chicken or roasted pork. Have leftovers? No problem, you can easily morph your leftover butternut squash polenta into another meal by topping it with chunks of Italian sausage and roasted peppers, this is crazy good!

But if all you have left is just a teeny bit, no worries, you can mold it into a small ramekin, warm it up, unmold and plop a cooked egg on the top, my favorite!

Creamy Polenta with Butternut Squash and Spinach

Ingredients

1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into small dice and pre-roasted
1 cup, instant style polenta
¾ cup chopped fresh spinach
½ cup or so grated parmesan or romano cheese
2 cups chicken broth, homemade or low sodium store bought
1 cup water
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon of olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
extra olive oil for drizzling

Instructions

Roast squash at 400 degrees on a baking sheet drizzled with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast around 15 minutes or until slightly golden. Set aside.
In a large saucepan add the broth, water, 1 tablespoon of butter, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, salt and pepper, bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to low and slowly start whisking in the polenta, keep whisking so as not to get lumps, it will bubble and squirt, be careful!
Switch over to a wooden spoon and keep stirring until thickened, remove from heat.
Fold in the grated cheese, the spinach and the butternut squash, drizzling more olive oil all over the top.
Serve immediately.
Leftover polenta can be warmed up the next day by adding more water or broth, or leftovers can be molded into ramekins.

17 Comments Filed Under: Grains, Vegetables, Winter Tagged: butternut squash, polenta, quick comfort foods

Shaved Brussels Sprouts Tart

October 15, 2013 by Marie 14 Comments

I always keep a box of phyllo in my fridge because I know I can create a quick and easy tart using whatever vegetables I have on hand. In this case I had a bag of shaved brussels sprouts that I got from Trader Joe’s and some leftover roasted butternut squash and before I knew it, a tart was born!
Phyllo is so forgiving and that’s why I like it, you can wing it, patch it and it still looks beautiful in the end. I usually use five or six layers for my 9″ tart pan, each layer sprayed with olive oil and sprinkled with grated romano or parmesan then topped with the cheese of your choice so that all the toppings can sink right into it. I like to use a cheese that melts really good like fontina, gruyere, mozzarella or asiago which happened to be the one I chose for mine. I recommend grating your cheese first then spreading it evenly all over the top, I got lazy as you can see, but it still worked!

My squash was already roasted and the brussels sprouts were quickly sauteed in olive oil until they wilted slightly.
Ready for the oven!

The phyllo gives this tart a nice crispy, crunchy bottom which is a great base to hold all your toppings. The sky’s the limit on what to top your tart with, another favorite I love is caramelized onions, butternut squash and kale, try that next time around!

All you need is a salad or a bowl of soup along side this tart and it becomes the perfect dinner, lunch or brunch.

Congratulations to Terri of Terri’s Table, you’re the winner of my giveaway and the book, SOUTHERN ITALIAN DESSERTS!

Shaved Brussels Sprouts Tart

Ingredients

9" removable bottom tart pan, sprayed or brushed with olive oil
6 sheets of phyllo dough
10 oz. bag of shaved brussels sprouts or shave your own by using the slicing disk on your food processor.
1 cup of diced and pre-roasted butternut squash
shredded asiago cheese, enough to completely cover tart pan
½ cup or so, grated romano or parmesan cheese
olive oil

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400F and prepare tart pan by brushing or spraying with olive oil
You need to wilt the brussels sprouts by either placing them in the oven on a roasting pan drizzled with olive oil, salt and pepper or stove top just for a few minutes.
Place the first sheet of phyllo into tart pan, press down and fit it in, spray or brush sheet with olive oil then sprinkle with romano and black pepper, repeat remaining 5 sheets the same way making sure to always cover your phyllo with wax paper while working with it so it doesn't dry out.
Distribute shredded asiago all over.
Spread the sprouts all over the shredded cheese then dot with the pre-roasted butternut squash.
Drizzle top of the tart with olive oil and sprinkle more romano cheese all over.
Place in oven 20-25 minutes or until phyllo is nice and golden.

14 Comments Filed Under: Savory Tarts, Vegetables Tagged: brussels sprouts, butternut squash, phyllo

Homemade Kale Ricotta Gnocchi

September 25, 2013 by Marie 33 Comments

I still have so much kale growing in my garden, I think it loves the cooler weather. I’ve already froze a bunch to put into soups, made my kale pesto, and since I’ve had gnocchi on my mind I thought, why not add some in there?
I don’t remember where I got this tip from but if you’re trying to squeeze out all the liquid from frozen or boiled spinach, kale, or any other leafy green, use a potato ricer! Even when I think I squeezed it all out by hand I’m so surprised how much more liquid comes out using the ricer, it’s amazing and it’s key to making this kind of gnocchi because you don’t ever want your dough to be really wet.

Same thing goes for your ricotta, especially if you buy it from a good Italian deli. I usually always have some liquid in the container when I bring my ricotta home, that too needs to be drained really well to achieve a good gnocchi dough, in fact I think it is key.

I like to drain my ricotta in a strainer over a bowl that I keep in my fridge overnight, when your ricotta is nice and cold the dough comes together beautifully, if the ricotta is warm or room temperature it tends to be more sticky and you’ll keep adding more flour which in turn makes your gnocchi heavier, and we don’t want heavy gnocchi do we?

Feel free to replace the kale for spinach or even swiss chard, but I have to tell you this was so good that I’ll be making it again and again!

Light and tender little pillows of dough filled with ricotta, parmesan or romano cheese and kale, surprisingly quick to whip up!

I decided to make mine 2 different ways, pan-fried with butternut squash in a brown butter sage sauce, and the more traditional way, boiled and tossed into a light homemade marinara. Please, never use jarred sauce from the grocery store!

Gnocchi takes only a few minutes to cook, toss them into boiling salted water, give them one good stir, let them rise to the top and boil for an additional 2 minutes, scoop them out with a wide hand strainer. Never pour them directly into a strainer for fear they might break, you must be gentle and handle with care.

For the pan-fried version you scoop them out of the water and immediately toss them into your hot and sizzling brown butter sauce, let them get slightly crispy golden on each side.

This is a perfect dish for the fall season, I added small diced pre-roasted butternut squash and tossed it in with the gnocchi. Finish the dish off with freshly grated parmesan cheese scattered all over the top, perfection!

Slightly crispy on the outside, tender on the inside and flavored so good, it doesn’t get better than this, one of my absolute favorites!

Unless you prefer them simply boiled and tossed into homemade marinara, ( I repeat… homemade!) my husbands favorite way.
Either way you choose you won’t go wrong, I promise!

Homemade Kale Ricotta Gnocchi

Ingredients

1½ cups of drained ricotta, nice and cold
¼ cup of grated cheese, Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano
1 beaten egg
1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper
3 heaping tablespoons of cooked, squeezed dry, then pulse chopped in a food processor of either kale, spinach or swiss chard.
1 cup or so of unbleached AP flour

Instructions

Place ricotta, grated cheese, salt and pepper into a bowl, whisk egg then add in.
If ricotta is lumpy, which it usually is, take a hand mixer on low to break up the lumps and just to incorporate all the ingredients.
Turn off the mixer and stir in the kale, I know it sounds like a small amount but the kale is damp and it all clumps together, when stirred it incorporates and distributes very well, 3 heaping tablespoons worked for the amount of flour and ricotta I used, but feel free to use more if you like.
Then fold in flour, little by little, you might need less or you might need more, but dough should come together quickly.
Lightly flour your finger tips and a board.
Cut off a chunk then roll it into a round snake, then cut off bite size pieces.
Leave as is or make indention's with a gnocchi board or the tines of a fork.
Toss gnocchi into salted boiling water, let them float to the top and cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes, taste for doneness, then scoop them out with a hand strainer.
Toss into your favorite sauce and eat immediately.
For pan-fried, drain them and crisp them up in the sizzling butter sage sauce, then add small diced pre- roasted butternut squash and plenty of parmesan cheese.
For my marinara sauce or additional sauce ideas for gnocchi, check out my e-book on Italian Sauces.

33 Comments Filed Under: Fall, Fresh Pasta, Greens Tagged: butternut squash, kale gnocchi, marinara sauce, ricotta gnocchi

Butternut Squash Cannelloni with Ricotta and Kale and a Lemony Sage Brown Butter Sauce

September 9, 2013 by Marie 33 Comments

It’s that time of year when you start seeing butternut squash all over the place, it’s my favorite kind of squash so I usually always have one on hand sitting on my counter ready and waiting for me whenever I need it. I’ve made scones with butternut squash, individual lasagna, stuffed shells, gnocchi, ravioli, tossed it in salads, soups, risotto’s. I made other lasagna, sformato, tarts and even pizza with it, and I’m sure I missed a few, but never stuffed it into cannelloni, until now! Fresh ricotta, kale, parmesan and a little lemon zest gets mixed into the tender baked squash for a very flavorful filling. Try to get a hold of some good quality fresh pasta sheets, you could make your own if you like especially if your doing it for a crowd or for the holidays but this is my quick mid-week version. I like to cut my store bought pasta sheets in half, I find the cannelloni gets too doughy otherwise. So for every sheet of pasta I can make two cannelloni. Spoon on a generous amount of filling then roll them up and place each one seam side down on a buttered baking dish.

When finished, spoon the nutty brown butter sage sauce that has a touch of lemon all over the cooked cannelloni, tossed together a nice salad, and dinner is ready!

Butternut Squash Cannelloni with Ricotta and Kale and a Lemony Sage Brown Butter Sauce

Ingredients

1 medium butternut squash
1 package of good quality premade pasta sheets
1 lb. ricotta drained of liquid
¼ cup of chopped cooked kale, squeezed and drained (swiss chard or spinach will also work)
¾ cup grated parmesan or romano cheese
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 garlic clove, finely chopped and smashed
salt and pepper to taste
zest of 1 lemon
xxxx
1 stick unsalted butter
10 sage leaves
juice of ½ a lemon

Instructions

Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
Cut squash in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds. Add squash to a parchment lined baking sheet then drizzle both halves with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast until tender and knife tip goes through easily, about 45-60 minutes. Let it cool completely then scoop out the flesh and discard the skin.
Add ricotta, egg, grated cheese, garlic, zest and squash into a food processor and pulse, just until mixed. You can also whip it all together by hand.
Add in the chopped kale little by little folding in between, just making sure the greenness of the kale doesn't overwhelm the ricotta mixture.
xxxxx
Cook pasta sheets for 2 minutes in boiling water, then cool them in an ice water bath. Drain on tea towels.
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For assembly, cut pasta sheet in half, my package had 8 sheets so I was able to make 16 cannelloni from it. Add filling then roll up placing them seam side down on a buttered baking dish.
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For the sauce, melt butter in a sauce pan on medium until bubbly and golden brown, throw in all 10 sage leaves, let them sizzle and get crisp.
Take sauce off heat and squeeze in juice from ½ lemon.
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Spoon a tiny bit of sauce on top of each shell and sprinkle each with grated parmesan or romano. Loosely cover with foil and place in 400 oven until filling is cooked, around 15 minutes, remove foil spoon remaining sauce on top along with the crispy sage leaves. Place back in the oven for 5 more minutes. Remove and enjoy!

33 Comments Filed Under: Fall, Fresh Pasta Tagged: butternut squash, cannelloni, ricotta

Savory Kale and Pumpkin Scones

September 27, 2012 by Marie 16 Comments

The next time you have a pot of homemade soup simmering on the stove take the extra time and whip up a batch of these savory scones, don’t they just scream fall?
They’re crunchy, cheesy, and filled with all things good, like pumpkin, kale and of course… a little bit of butter!

Make sure you buy a sweet pumpkin that’s for cooking and baking, or better yet, just use a butternut squash, it’s a lot easier to peel and cut, it tastes good, and you’ll still be getting that pretty orange color.

You can even make them ahead of time, stick them in the freezer and warm up as needed.

I used a wonderful aged cheddar in mine and added kale that is still growing strong in my garden.
These yummy scones came from, ” The Book of Kale” by Sharon Hanna, and the recipe has been reprinted here.
I followed her recipe exactly but also added in about 1/3 cup of grated parmesan cheese, why not?

Perfect with a steamy hot bowl of soup!

16 Comments Filed Under: Breads, Greens Tagged: butternut squash, kale, pumpkin, savory scones

Acorn and Butternut Squash Sformato with Parmesan Cream and Balsamic Glaze

October 31, 2011 by Marie 22 Comments

Sformato is a molded dish similar to a souffle, heartier in texture and not as airy. I’ve seen them made with peas, spinach, fennel, cauliflower, sweet potatoes and carrots just to name a few. It can be served as a first course, a side dish or a light vegetable entree.

Recently I’ve made both the acorn and butternut squash versions, and I seriously can’t tell you which one I liked best, just one taste and you’ll be forever hooked! Think about it, intensely flavored squash mixed in with a cheesy creamy goodness that creates a fluffy- like texture and topped off with a sweet balsamic glaze!

Now don’t let the ingredients scare you, it’s a little on the decadent side but the recipe fills 4 ramekins so do the math, it’s not that much. So far I’ve made this as a side with pork chops and I’ve eaten it alone just with a salad, a perfect autumn veggie dinner!

Roasting your squash ahead of time makes it all come together really quick. Which ever squash you use cut them in half, scoop out the seeds, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast cut side down on parchment 350F until knife goes through, time varies depending on size of squash. Scoop out the squash and puree in a food processor. Into a bowl place **2 cups of pureed squash** 1 egg** 1/3 cup of grated parmesan or romano cheese** 2 tablespoons of mascarpone cheese** 1/2 cup of half and half** salt and pepper**. Pour the mixture almost to the top of buttered ramekins. Place in a baking pan with water to come about halfway up the sides, cover and bake for 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven, or until the mixture is set and cooked through. Let rest a few moments, unmold and serve. 4 servings

Place your little Italian souffle in a puddle of parmesan cream sauce if you so desire, made by reducing cream ( I used half and half) in a pan and sprinkling in some parmesan cheese. To finish it off drizzle on some balsamic glaze!

Recipe inspired by Chef Tony Priolo

I’m quite sure you’re going to thank me for this one!

Buon Appetito!

22 Comments Filed Under: Side Dishes, Vegetables Tagged: acorn squash, butternut squash, sformato

Kale Made Three Ways

September 8, 2011 by Marie 27 Comments

Three flavors that I adore together are caramelized onions, kale and butternut squash, there’s something about the sweetness of the onions, the slightly bitterness of the greens and the buttery squash, it just creates the perfect balance! I was inspired to make this pie after I had a slice for lunch from my local Whole Foods deli. They added pancetta but honestly you don’t need it, I think my version with out it was better, plus I added the caramelized onions which made it irresistible!

Our garden soil must be good for kale because it keeps growing and growing so I’m constantly thinking of ways to use it. I recently started freezing it and it’s actually nice to be able to reach in the bag and take out just what I need.

After I give it a good wash and snip off the stems I rough chop the leaves and place them into boiling water for a quick 3 minutes, drain and let it cool down on a baking sheet then pack it in a freezer bag for future use.

For my version of the Kale and Butternut Squash Pie I roasted the squash ahead of time and I slow cooked the onions and leeks for around 40 minutes until golden brown and sweet, don’t rush them, low and slow, and be generous with the grated parmesan cheese!

I used this recipe which is close to the Whole Foods version I had, it also helped me figure out the phyllo part, which btw, was very easy and forgiving.

All that goodness contained in crispy phyllo dough makes the perfect dinner or lunch!

I had leftover ingredients from the pie so I made this Kale and Butternut Squash Soup, light and not too heavy, perfect for the cool autumn weather we’re recently experiencing.

Ingredients were: kale, butternut squash, caramelized onions and leeks, garlic, cherry tomatoes, a can of chickpeas or beans cooked in a vegetable broth, if you have cheese rinds throw them in all the better! In no time you’ll have a comforting bowl of good for you soup!

I’ve made this Kale Pizza several times already, this is a favorite of my husband and BIL and they request it often, again it’s just those flavor combinations that go so well together. No butternut squash here just kale, caramelized onions, cherry tomatoes and fontina cheese.

Baked on top of a crispy pizza crust. Two big burly guys didn’t even miss the meat!

Now for the winner of the signed copy of Cucina Povera!

The winner is… Barbara F.
Barb congrats! Please email me with your address to prouditaliancook@hotmail.com

27 Comments Filed Under: Greens, Pizza, Soups and Stews, Vegetables Tagged: butternut squash, caramelized onions, kale, kale pizza, kale soup

Butternut Squash Stuffed Shells with a Lemon Sage Brown Butter Sauce

October 27, 2009 by Marie 88 Comments

I’m sorry, but I just can’t get enough of butternut squash this season! I know I just previously posted a lasagna using it but recently after flipping through a beautiful Donna Hay magazine I also got inspired to stuff it into pasta shells.

Donna used sweet potatoes in her recipe, which I’m sure is delicious but I knew immediately I’d be using butternut squash. I also added spinach to my stuffed shells and an egg for binding. This dish is great as a main course, or on a buffet, or even a side dish to your holiday meal.

Stuffed shells are a great addition to any dinner party, they’re individual, easy to serve, and easy to eat.

***Peel, chop and toss in olive oil your butternut squash, then into a hot oven roast the squash at 400F for 15-20 minutes, let the squash cool down and then with a fork slightly smash them leaving some chunks.

***Cook jumbo pasta shells according to directions but make sure they’re al’dente because they’re going to cook a little more in the oven, drain and set aside.

***In a bowl add 2 cups of ricotta,** 1/3 cup parmesan cheese,** 1 fresh smashed garlic clove,** 1/4 cup frozen chopped spinach ( squeezed and drained)** 1 egg, **salt, pepper,** your cooled down roasted and smashed squash, around 2 cups,** and the zest of 1 lemon.** The lemon zest was key to this dish and added a nice bright flavor.

***Stuff the shells with the mixture and place in a buttered baking dish.

Make a sage brown butter sauce by melting 1 stick of butter in saute pan until golden brown and bubbly.

Add at least 10 sage leaves until slightly crisp. Turn off heat and squeeze in fresh lemon juice of the lemon you zested.

Place your stuffed butternut squash shells in a 375F oven until heated through with some foil loosely on top for around 20-25 minutes. When finished spoon your warm sage sauce all over and sprinkle with grated parmesan.

Inspired by Donna Hay

Fills around a dozen shells.

We took a drive the other day to see all the gorgeous fall colors, before we know it all the trees will be bare and we’ll be looking at snow. That I could live with out