This was my first time cooking with spaghetti squash and it really was much easier than I thought.  I believe the hardest part was actually trying to cut into the squash.  I had eaten ‘s squash’ at restaurants but never thought it could be so simple, quick and satisfying.

Spaghetti squash I found out is very versatile.  It can be used in many dishes and especially as a filling for sweets.  PBS is currently airing a show called Spain – On the Road Again with Mario Batali &  Gwyneth Paltrow along with few other celebrity chef and food writers.  It is a road trip across Spain, traveling, sight seeing and most of all dining on wonderful Spanish foods.  In this past episode Mario & Claudia traveled through this little island called Menorca.  Stopping and visiting historic buildings and of course eating, they stopped and baked at this special pastry shop.  This pastry shop specializes in making these amazing pastries one in particular is made from stretched fillo with Spaghetti Squash filling once cooked it is topped with power sugar! It looked just delicious! It resembled a Turkish Borek but sweet not salty.

Mental note to self: need to find recipe and make it!

1. Cut in half

2. Clean out seeds – does not have to be perfect!
Seeds would be perfect for roasting & making pumpkin seeds!

I adapted my recipe from Kristin’s The Kitchen Sink her recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium spagetti squash - cut in half and seeds discarded
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic – diced fine
• 2 medium shallots – diced length wise
• 7 slices of sun dried tomatoes – sliced length wise
• kosher salt
• black pepper
• 2 tablespoons of fresh herbs (parsley or dill) I used dill!

Preparation:

1. Pre heat oven to 400 degrees
2. Follow picture posting above 1 & 2 – cut in half and clean out seeds
3. Place in a baking sheet pan and place in the pre heat oven. (I did not season the squash before I placed it in the oven.)
4. Let the squash cook in the oven 50 minutes – poke with a fork if the fork pokes in easily the squash is done.  The flesh will have turned a nice brown color.
5. Remove from oven and set aside to cool – it will be hot to handle.
6. Over a medium heat in a pan, saute the shallots, garlic in the olive oil until completely translucent.  Add in your salt and black pepper.  Finally add in the chopped sun dried tomatoes and saute a few more minutes.  (Pictures 3 & 4)
7. Using a fork, scrape the flesh of the squash.  Transfer the spaghetti strands into the skillet. Toss to coat the spaghetti squash with your sauce.
8. Top with garnish – dill or parsley and sever hot. 

3. This is how it will look out of the oven – the flesh will easily pull way from the skin.

4.Sauteed shallots, garlic & sun dried tomatoes – seasoned with salt & black pepper.

Awesome right??

•