Recipe Of The Week: Spaghetti Al Limone with Roasted Squash and Ricotta Toast

Well, she’s done it again.  Our intrepid food blogger Jess has whipped up another incredibly delicious meal: Light, summery and super simple-to-make Spaghetti al Limone.  It’s the perfect meal for guests and paired with her squash toast (I die), a group of us were recently treated to a lovely (and vegetarian!) feast. Read on:

When I decided to do this dinner I had just started reading the China Study by Colin Campbell.  Although I’m all for moderation in your diet, I couldn’t help but wonder when the last time I had gone a full day without eating meat had been.  We get so used to eating chicken or steak or fish that we forget that the vegetables can be the highlight of the meal as well.  From that moment on, I made it a point to stop eating so much meat but I also wanted to create meals that were satisfying and complete.  So I invited a bunch of major carnivores over for a personal challenge where I set out to make a dinner that was entirely vegetarian without them even noticing until after when I told them.

I put a lot of thought into this menu and drew from various experiences that I had had.  If you don’t know, ABC Kitchen in New York (above) is a magical place.  They use all organic seasonal ingredients and are focused on sourcing locally.  Their squash toast is to die for so after a little googling I found the recipe online.

I suggest showering after trying to break open the squash.  It can get a little messy.  Get ready for a work out!  The other dish that I chose to do was Spaghetti al Limone.

I had never done either one but was blown away by the response to both.  I also prepared a butter lettuce salad dressed only with olive oil, lemon and kosher salt.

It wasn’t until the end of the meal when I pointed out that everything was vegetarian did anyone even notice.  I even managed to trick Karrie’s fiancé Tim.  Mission accomplished.

Spaghetti al Limón

Serves 4-6 (Karrie’s note: This served WAY more than 4-6 – the leftovers could’ve fed us for days)

Ingredients:

Table salt

1 pound spaghetti

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving

1 medium shallot, minced (about 3 tablespoons)

1/4 cup heavy cream

2 teaspoons finely grated zest and 1/4 cup juice from 3 lemons

1 ounce finely grated Parmesan cheese (about 1/2 cup), plus more for serving

Ground black pepper

2 tablespoons shredded fresh basil leaves

Preparation:

Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large Dutch oven over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon salt and pasta to boiling water; cook, stirring frequently, until al dente. Reserve 1¾ cups cooking water, drain pasta into colander, and set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in now-empty Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add shallot and 1/2 teaspoon salt; cook until shallot is softened, about 2 minutes. Whisk 1 1/2 cups of reserved pasta cooking water and cream into pot; bring to simmer and cook for 2 minutes. Remove pot from heat, return pasta, and stir until coated. Stir in remaining 3 tablespoons oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, cheese, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

Cover and let pasta stand 2 minutes, tossing frequently and adjusting consistency with remaining 1/4 cup reserved pasta water if necessary. Stir in basil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve, drizzling individual portions with oil and sprinkling with cheese.

Squash Toast from ABC Kitchen

Ingredients:

1 kabocha squash – washed and peeled

2 tbsps. extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp. dried red chili flakes

2 tsps. kosher salt

2 each onions, Spanish, quartered and sliced

1/4-inch thick

1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 cup maple syrup

Preparation:

Combine squash and extra-virgin olive oil in bowl and season with the chili flakes and salt.  Place the squash on sheet tray lined with parchment paper in one even layer. Roast at 500 degrees for approximately 30 minutes, rotating with a spatula. Cook until lightly colored and tender.  If you don’t think the squash is getting tender enough, put some water on it and cover it with tin foil.  Worked like a charm for me!

In a medium sauté pan heat the oil and add the onions. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are deep golden brown. Add the vinegar and maple syrup and reduce quickly until syrupy.

While the onions are still warm, combine with the roasted squash, cool and reserve.

Drizzle bread with extra-virgin olive oil and cook in a nonstick pan over medium heat until golden and crispy. Spread 2 tablespoons of ricotta over the toast, then top with about 1/3 cup of kabocha mix and spread evenly. Cut the toast into 4 and top with mint, a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and coarse sea salt.

Happy Eating!

Jess