Hello my name is Nancy and I am an addict…… OK not that kind of addict. I am a kuri squash addict, well at least until they are in season. These magical orange winter squash(or is it squashes for plural?) taste so good that they have turned me into an addict. Well at least I am able to admit my addiction, which is the first step in recovery right? hmm.
I can’t tell you how glad I am that they are being sold in virtually all of the food stores and produce shops around my neighborhood. I like to be adventurous and try different foods, even if the adventures don’t always turn out great (please see previous post.) The kuri squash left me happily surprised, both the look and taste. The taste was just so indescribably good to me, so delicate and lightly nutty at the same time, even just out of the oven on it’s own I couldn’t stop eating it. I also roasted the seeds as I typically do when I prepare pumpkin. But the seeds I’m not such a fan of, the shells were about twice as thick as normal pumpkin seeds. The taste was good they were just too hard on the teeth and jaw, so we ended up just throwing them out. Has anyone else had the same experience with the seeds, or is it just the ones I bought?
Over the past couple of weeks I have been making several dishes and baked goodies with this squash. But I bought 4 and there are only 2 of us so you can imagine that is just too much squash, well not for me. I roasted and froze the extra to use as I wanted in meals, and I think to my husband’s delight there is only a small amount left. Every time he mentions having something for dinner I’m saying oh yeah that would go great with the squash,
pobresito ( In Spanish it means you poor thing,
ito is male and
ita is female). So one of the ideas that popped in my head was making a pasta sauce, I know many people use butternut squash to make sauce with, so why not kuri squash pasta sauce. ( Speaking of sauce please see my note at the end of this post.) I couldn’t decide which type of pasta to serve it with so I made two, tricolor Fusilli and Spaghetti. It tasted good with both, but I think we both agreed the spaghetti was the better tasting of the two. I would also recommend it with Ravioli or Tortellini pastas, maybe even better suited than the ones I had at hand.
Ingredients:
yields 4 servings
2 cups (500 grams) cooked mashed red kuri squash
1 cup (8oz or 200 ml) 12% fat cream
3/4 cups water
1 small yellow onion,finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. white pepper
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tbsp. butter
1. Melt the butter in a sauce pan then add the finely chopped onion and saute until translucent. Next add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes while stirring to prevent burning. Add the salt, white pepper, thyme, oregano and basil to the saucepan and stir well, then add the mashed squash and stir until all ingredients are well incorporated. Slowly pour the water into the saucepan while stirring. Stir until the ingredients have completely combined well, then slowly pour the cream into the saucepan. Again stir until all ingredients are well incorporated.
2. Turn heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes or until ready to serve. Right before serving add the grated Parmesan to the sauce pan and stir well. While the sauce is simmering boil and drain the pasta of your choice. You can either pour sauce over the cooked pasta and stir to combine or just scoop some sauce over the pasta of your choice.
Serve with baguette or Italian bread, butter and Parmesan cheese.
Tricolore Fusilli Pasta with Creamy Kuri Squash Sauce or
Spaghetti Pasta with Creamy Kuri Squash Sauce
Just looking at these is making me want more, good thing there were leftovers.
I would also like to thank Food Pr. Specialists Sauce Communications for sponsoring this post. If I could please ask you to help me thank them by visiting their site, http://www.saucecommunications.com/sauce-pr/
This looks sooo delish!!
That sounds very tasty!
Ooh, I've never heard of these squash before, but your dishes look delicious! I'll have to keep my eyes out for them. Thanks, Nancy!
beautiful presentation
check out the event in my site
beautiful and tasty!
I can only imagine how awesome this squash would taste. Such a shame that we cannot get this in our area, in S. Florida…at least, I don't think so. Your recipe great, and photos are beautiful. Perhaps, I could try this with a different kind of squash!
Nancy, this looks awesome! Plus, it's like a vegetarian's dream pasta dish. Really, it is! I want a plate now, but I wonder if I can get that type of squash. Is it like butternut?
THANK YOU for posting this! You have inspired me big time with this dish! My son will tear into this if I add some cheddar cheese ;) I can not wait to try this sauce. Kuri squash is all over the place here, too. Your husband will be missing the squash when they're out of season!
I wonder if I could find this – that is so inviting and perfect for fall. I could become an addict, too…
I am not familiar with the squash…but I can say that these dishes are exceptional :) I will pop over to the sponsor site too :)
oh, how delicious! perfect for welcoming the autumn weather. looks fantastic!
That looks delicious! I'm vegan but it looks like a pretty easy recipe to convert and I just happen to have a giant squash in my pantry (actually, I don't have a pantry – it's sitting on my microwave, but doesn't “pantry” sound more adult?). Thanks for sharing!
This looks really appetizing!
I love that color.
Looks great.
Oceans of love ;)
I though of you Friday, when I met an Arg girl coming to Paris after living in Prague for three years !! Your dish looks incredible !! I would love to have this tonight!!
beautiful squash! and lovely recipes from you.
Haven't come across this squash before, but I love what you've done with it. I guess it's only a matter of time before you cover every possible single use for it thought right? ;)
Great presentation and looks so creamy and delicious…
Umm, wow, I am in squash heaven now! Hungry now too!
Bon appetit!
CCR
=:~)
What a gorgeous sauce…I love the color. Looks nice and thick and creamy…perfect for Fall!
Ooh this looks SO good and like the perfect fall meal!
looks so amazing!!
I'll have to look for kuri squash in the markets here! Everything you've done with it looks fabulously creamy and comforting – and we're finally getting some fall weather here, Yay!
Hi Nancy…this kuri squash pasta sauce looks great for the pasta . I have to look for this kuri squash in the supermart first. I have not seen this kuri squash being sold in our supermart :(
Very creative! Ans this sauce is so much healthier than the regular creamy, cheesy sauce. Love it!
I've never had kuri squash before, must look for it! The sauce sounds so good!
Kuri squash? Your yummy photos definitely have me intrigued!
Thank you all for your comments. Hope you can try the squash, don't miss out on the tasty fall flavor.
I saw the recipes for kuri squash and I don’t think I have ever seen them. I went to the grocery store and they had them :) so I brought one and am looking forward to trying it.
Good and have fun with it, I’m sure you’ll love it.
This looks so tempting! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you!