10 Ways to Use Gourds & Winter Squash

'I think it’s a shame that pumpkins get hijacked by Halloween. 

Although they make a brief comeback for Thanksgiving in pie form, their curtain call comes much too early in the season. So what’s a pumpkin-loving girl supposed to do? This one makes a quick shift to other members of the Cucurbitaceae family: gourds and various winter squash. They don’t put me in a dizzy swoon quite the same way pumpkins do, but they’ll suffice. Gourds are great for cool-weather crafts, and winter squash will supply the awesome fodder for delicious dishes all the way until strawberry time (known by some as “spring”).' 

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Fall Feasting: A Guide to Winter Squashes

 

 'As warm air turns decidedly crisper, and we trade sandals and short sleeves for breezy scarves and cardigans, thoughts invariably turn away from cool, light summer dishes toward fall’s gastronomic bounty: hearty soups, casseroles, and roasts. And at the base of many of these favorite autumn dishes are winter squashes, which, despite their descriptive name, actually come into season around October. 

So what better time to explore the different varietals popping up at markets all over the country? All winter squashes are nutritional powerhouses, boasting iron, fiber, beta carotene, and a plethora of other beneficial components. What’s more, they’re delicious and can suit a variety of tastes—once you learn the flavor and texture differences between them.'

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Butternut Squash Ravioli

From Taste Book

Butternut squash ravioli is one of my favorite types of pasta. These ravioli taste especially delicious when served with parmesan cheese and brown butter, sage, and hazelnut sauce-I am partial to Giada De Laurentiis’ recipe from “Everyday Italian.”

• 4 cups [organic] butternut (or other) squash, peeled & cut into 1-inch cubes

• 2 teaspoons brown sugar [sucanat brown sugar]
  

• 1 cup [organic] ricotta cheese

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage

• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon

• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg

• 1 package wonton wrappers or 1 recipe fresh homemade pasta cut into 3x3 inch squares

• olive oil

• salt & pepper

• Preheat oven to 350°F.

• Toss squash with oil, salt, pepper, and brown sugar in a roasting pan. Add ¼ cup water and cover with foil. Roast 25 to 30 minutes until very tender (will fall apart when poked with a fork).

• Drain squash well, return to pan, and mash with a fork. Return, uncovered, to the oven and bake for 10 minutes to dry out.

• Add cheese, sage, parsley, cinnamon, and nutmeg; blend well. Distribute by scant tablespoons on half of the pasta or wonton squares. Moisten edges with water, top with remaing squares, and carefully pinch pressing out all air.

• Cook in boiling water in batches until they float. To keep cooked ravioli from sticking, toss in olive oil. Serve with brown butter sauce and Parmesan cheese.

Original Recipe HERE



Squashes

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