Maple-Roasted Butternut Squash
My mother-in-law Alice's recipe:
Maple-Roasted Butternut Squash
Ingredients: (Serves 6)
1 large butternut squash
1 head garlic separated but not peeled
2 Tbsp. good olive oil
2 1⁄2 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
1⁄2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp fresh ground salt crystals
2 oz. thinly sliced pancetta (or turkey bacon or pastirma) chopped
16 whole fresh sage leaves
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel and seed butternut squash. (Mom note = I pierce the squash with a fork and cook on high in the microwave for about 5 minutes. Cool the squash, then peel with a carrot or potato peeler. It makes this process easier.) Cut the squash into 3⁄4 - 1 inch cubes. Place squash and whole unpeeled garlic cloves in a baking dish or sheet pan large enough to hold them all in one layer. Toss with olive oil, maple syrup, salt, and pepper, and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until squash begins to brown, turning once during baking.
Sprinkle bacon/pastirma/pancetta and sage leaves evenly over squash and continue to bake for another 20 to 30 minutes, until squash and garlic are tender and caramelized. Season to taste and serve hot with the roasted garlic.
pastirma=bastirma=cured dried beef
Maple-Roasted Butternut Squash
Ingredients: (Serves 6)
1 large butternut squash
1 head garlic separated but not peeled
2 Tbsp. good olive oil
2 1⁄2 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
1⁄2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp fresh ground salt crystals
2 oz. thinly sliced pancetta (or turkey bacon or pastirma) chopped
16 whole fresh sage leaves
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel and seed butternut squash. (Mom note = I pierce the squash with a fork and cook on high in the microwave for about 5 minutes. Cool the squash, then peel with a carrot or potato peeler. It makes this process easier.) Cut the squash into 3⁄4 - 1 inch cubes. Place squash and whole unpeeled garlic cloves in a baking dish or sheet pan large enough to hold them all in one layer. Toss with olive oil, maple syrup, salt, and pepper, and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until squash begins to brown, turning once during baking.
Sprinkle bacon/pastirma/pancetta and sage leaves evenly over squash and continue to bake for another 20 to 30 minutes, until squash and garlic are tender and caramelized. Season to taste and serve hot with the roasted garlic.
pastirma=bastirma=cured dried beef
