10-07-13-spaghetti-squash

 

Nonna said she didn’t think she liked spaghetti squash.

In the almost 8 months she has been living with us, she has found out she really does like a lot of things she thought she didn’t.  It’s been kinda fun, actually, watching her skeptical look change to a smile.

Which brings us to spaghetti squash. I love it and Victor loves it. Time to make Nonna love it, too. Always up for a challenge, I decided I’d start by making something with flavors that were familiar to her. She loves pasta, tomato sauce, Italian sausage, and cheese, so a take on a baked pasta dish was my starting point.

I sliced in half lengthwise, seeded, and roasted the squash for about 20 minutes in a 375° oven. It was in a casserole dish with a bit of water – and covered in foil.

While that was cooking, I grilled Italian sausages and when they were cooked, sliced them into chunks.

When the squash was cooked, I mixed it with the sausage, about 3 cups of marinara sauce, and about 3 cups of shredded cheeses. I used fontina, mozzrella, provolone, and parmesan. It then went into a covered casserole dish and into a 350° for about 45 minutes.

Nonna ate every bite on her plate and then went back for a little spoonful more.

I’d call that a success!