Goaty Squashed Squash
Sweet and spicy oven-baked squash
Servings
Prep Time
Cook Time
Ingredients
Total Time
Ingredients
Squash
- 300 g squash
- 1 onion
- 5 garlic cloves
- 2 red chili
- 50 g baby spinach
- 150 ml double cream
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp paprika
- 2 tbsp butter
- 50 g Pecorino cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
Topping
- 50 g peanuts
- 3 tbsp sesame seeds
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 tsp double cream
- salt to taste
Deep fried goat cheese
- 100 g goat cheese
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp flour
- 2 tbsp breadcrumbs
- oil for frying
Equipment
- Oven safe dish
- Knife
- Frying pan
- Mixing bowl
- Grater
- Saucepan
Instructions
I said this before when I talked about our Sweet and Spicy Hasselback Squash, and I will say it again. Up until recently, I was not a pumpkin/squash fan. However, I believe that just like almost all ingredients, you have to learn how to cook them to enjoy eating them.
For me, the best association for squash is with something spicy and the pronounced taste of goat cheese. Thus, I took all those elements and brought this recipe to life. I promise you that if you will give this dish a chance, you will have one of the best no meat dishes ever. All in just one hour.
- The first thing you need to do is to grease an oven-safe dish. I've used two small ones, but that is just a matter of preference.
- Cut the squash in 2-3 cm thick pieces and bring them to the prepared pan.
- Roast the 2 red chilis any way you want: directly on flame or in an oven. Choose your preferred method but once they are completely roasted, put them in a bowl with salt and keep them cover for a while. The reason for this step is to soften them up and make them easier to peel.
- Prepare a frying pan and put it on the stove on medium-high heat. Melt the butter and fry the chopped onion and garlic in it until they become translucent. Stir in the spices and mix up.
- Add the spinach and let it reduce in size, stirring it gently.
- Pour the double cream, add the peeled and chopped chillies and mix everything up. Let it simmer for a minute or two before taking it out the heat and adding the grated cheese.
- Mix everything and pour the composition over the cut squash. Cover the pan with tin foil and bake for 30-40 minutes or until the veggies are soft. You need your oven to be preheated at 200°C (400 F).
- While the squash is in the oven, you can prepare your deep-fried goat cheese.
- Beat the egg. Coat the cheese in flour, the egg, and finally cover it with the breadcrumbs.
- Put the prepared cheese in the freezer for 10 minutes before deeply frying it for 2-3 minutes in the very hot frying oil.
- Let's return the focus to the baking squash. After 30 minutes, remove the foil and bake it for another 15 minutes.
- The final step is the topping. Put the olive oil in a saucepan, and heat it up. Cut the peanuts and fry them in the oil along with the sesame seeds for a couple of minutes.
- Take the saucepan off the heat and quickly grate the garlic. Bring the honey in and stir. Pour the double cream, salt and mix everything up.
- It's time for the final assembly. Take the squash out of the oven, top it with the peanut mixture and serve it with the deep-fried goat cheese.
Before closing this up, I want to say that the topping was 'stolen' from one of Molly Baz's recipes, who I really like and look up to. It is not 100% her approach, but I thought that you should know that the genius behind this crunchy topping is hers.
Furthermore, I want to add that if you have beetroot around, adding it alongside your squash will only make things better. Also, if you want to keep thinks healthier, skip the deep frying part and simply add the goat cheese on top of your squash and bake it. It will be just as delicious.
* If you want to keep it less spicy, you can reduce the chili quantity to 1.
** Be careful when you eat it because when you take it out of the oven, the dish is boiling hot. Might I suggest you leave it to cool down for a few minutes before serving it?
Nutrition Facts / Serving
- Calories 1129
- Total Fat 105 g
- Cholesterol 31 mg
- Sodium 1916 mg
- Potassium 1183 mg
- Total Carbohydrate 32 g
- Sugars 12 g
- Protein 25 g