Acorn Squash Pasta Bowls

Now this is a proper pasta bowl. Not like those bready bowls filled with mushy pasta from the famous pizza chain- I should not judge, I have never had one but I still think they are over the top, don’t you? Too much starchy carbs. Ma was here a few weeks ago and was telling me about the best squash dish she had ever had. But there was one problem, the lady who made the dish would not give Ma the recipe, even after Ma had asked on a few occasions. I hate when people don’t share their recipes. Well Ma and I figured out how to make that squash dish on our own and it was delicious. With a few more tweaks, I made the dish even better, I think, by adding pasta and toasted hazelnuts.

Here is a tutorial the recipe will follow:

Lay the squash in a stable position on the counter top, it must not wobble. Make a cut at the top of the squash parallel to your counter top. I microwaved my squash about 5 minutes to soften it so that it could be cut. Scoop out the seeds.

Drizzle the insides with olive oil and sprinkle with Kosher salt and pepper. You will have to turn the squash in your hands to get all of the insides covered.

Roast the squash in a 400 degree oven for 35 minutes or until fork tender. In the last 20 minutes of roasting the squash, boil your fettuccine pasta until al dente and start your sauce. To a large skillet over med-low heat melt butter, add garlic and saute for one minute then add cream, nutmeg, salt and pepper, and 1 cup cheese. Stir until mixture is hot through and cheese is melted. Do not let this bubble at all or the sauce will “break.”

Add your drained pasta to the sauce and stir until the noodles are all covered in sauce. Using a large fork spin large amounts of pasta into “nests” and stuff down into each squash evenly.

See how nicely that is done. So nice and neat. Pour any remaining sauce over the pasta then top with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese and return to the oven for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

To Serve- Place the squash on a pretty platter. At the table, in front of your guests- because it is all about presentation- cut each squash in half evenly and plate, I used shallow bowls. Sprinkle with toasted hazelnuts and fresh parsley.

I found this to be a sophisticated and elegant dish that could be served as the pasta course at a fancy dinner party or family style with a huge salad and crusty bread. Personally, the best part was the toasted hazelnuts, they really made this dish pop.

Acorn Squash Pasta Bowls
2 acorn squash
1/2 pound fettuccine
2 T. butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp. Kosher salt
4 grinds black pepper
1 cup grated Gruyere cheese, plus 1/2 cup for later
3 T. toasted chopped hazelnuts
2 T. fresh parsley, minced

Lay the squash in a stable position on the counter top. Make a cut at the top of the squash parallel to your counter top. Scoop out seeds. Drizzle the insides with olive oil and sprinkle with Kosher salt and pepper. You will have to turn the squash in your hands to get all of the insides covered. Roast squash in a 400 degree oven for 35 minutes or until fork tender. In the last 20 minutes of roasting, boil your fettuccine pasta until al dente and start your sauce. To a large skillet over med-low heat melt butter, add garlic and saute for one minute then add cream, nutmeg, salt and pepper, and 1 cup cheese. Stir until mixture is hot through and cheese is melted. Do not let this bubble at all or the sauce will “break.” Add your drained pasta to the sauce and stir until the noodles are coated. Using a large fork spin large amounts of pasta into “nests” and stuff down into each squash evenly. Pour any remaining sauce over the pasta then top with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese and return to the oven for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. To serve, cut each squash in half evenly and place on a pretty platter. Sprinkle with toasted hazelnuts and fresh parsley. Serves 4.

To toast hazelnuts, toss a handful of rough chopped hazelnuts in a dry and hot skillet. I do mine on med-high heat. Occasionally swirl the nuts in the pan and toast for about 5 minutes or until fragrant and golden. Do not turn your back on this, they can burn fast. I did not skin my hazelnuts, too much of a pain. Most of the skins came off during roasting anyway.