I love love love pasta, but I know I can’t always eat it if I want to stay carb conscious, so I also enjoy a great substitute. Spaghetti squash is a good one, been doing that a while. And yes, you can also do zoodles with zucchini, of course, we do that a good bit too. But the greatest part about the summer squash for me is that I’ve been having a very successful growing season with them in my little home garden!! So this pasta substitute comes fresh, same day, right from my garden!!
Last night upon returning from vacation, I found that the summer squash crop produced two humongous squashes. I was also delighted to find that my fig tree finally had two plump figs ready to pick and eat (while still warm from the sun!!).
I used one of the giant summer squashes (it was bigger in person, I swear!) to make an awesome Italian dinner. I also used a whole bunch of cherry and grape tomatoes and fresh basil, both from the garden as well, for this dinner! Armed with merely a vegetable peeler, I went to town on this squash!
I peeled up the whole thing in thick ribbons for the mock tagliatelle. While peeling, I had tomatoes, basil and a little bit of red bell peppers sautéing in some red wine and a little tomato sauce.
It took a while to peel up that whole giant squash, but it produced a beautiful bounty of ribbons! When the sauce had been simmering for about 45 minutes or so, I decided to smooth it out with the immersion blender. Poured it into the blending cup (carefully, it was really hot!!) and blended it up, then poured it back into the sauté pan.
And added a little more red wine. About cooking with wine – cook with one you’d drink. It perfects the pairing!
I then added some chicken sausage to the tomato sauce and let it continue simmering for a while as I put together a bruschetta of olives, tomatoes, basil, pine nuts, and truffle oil. Once toasted up in the oven, I drizzled the bruschetta with a truffle balsamic glaze. Mmmmm!!!
I added the squash ribbons to the sauce and let bubble for about 10 minutes, stirring often but keeping covered to let the sauce soak into the squash ribbons.
It was smelling amazing and I was gettin hungry!! Time to plate and add a little Parmesan atop! And of course an edible garnish of some more basil!
I told my husband again last night, as I was plating up, how thrilled I am by our little garden that I can just go out and grab a fistful of fresh basil to make my dinner perfect. It really is the little things!! The dish came out great and oh so healthy!!
Eat, Drink, and Go! 