We don’t know about you, but in the depths of winter, when the days are cold and rainy, we tend to turn to comfort food, and what could be more comforting than squash? In Italy, the first squash appear on supermarket shelves, at the market and the fruttivendolo in the fall and carry through until the first peas and fava beans make their appearance, heralding the arrival of spring.
The general term for squash in Italian is zucca, but there are many regional varieties, such as zucca mantovana, zucca hokkaido, zucca delica, and even zucca butternut, not to mention pumpkin, which is a type of squash. Each one has its own unique qualities, ranging in color, flavor, and texture, but we love them all. To inspire you, we thought it would be fun to gather some cozy squash recipes from our guest hosts in addition to sharing one of our own.
Elizabeth Minchilli’s Pumpkin Flan
This pleasantly light butternut squash flan served with a creamy, indulgent taleggio sauce is the perfect way to start a festive meal, but we think it would also make a great lunch with a green salad on the side. If you can’t find amaretti, you can chop up some walnuts to use instead.
Get the recipe here | Join the waitlist for Elizabeth’s tour in Parma here
Justine Doiron’s Cheesy Butternut Squash Orzo
Inspired by risotto but made with orzo (which is actually a kind of pasta), this comforting dish is one to keep on rotation all winter long. We love how versatile it is, as you can use just about any kind of squash you want and any combination of cheeses.
Get the recipe here | Join the waitlist for Justine’s tour in Puglia here
Erin O’Brien’s Creamy Butternut Squash Soup
Erin calls this recipe “a labor of love” and if food is your love language, this would be the perfect thing to make for your family or friends when you want to show them how much you appreciate them. The fennel and apples add a bit of freshness, while warming spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger give it depth.
Get the recipe here | Join the waitlist for Erin’s tour in Puglia here
Evan Kleiman’s Butternut Squash Lasagne
Traditional lasagna hails from Emilia Romagna and is typically made with ragù, bechamel, and spinach-infused sheets of pasta, but in Italy home cooks often make their own version, which could be vegetarian or even include seafood. Evan tells us that she sometimes changes up this recipe by using gruyere, which goes great with squash, instead of fontina. Either way, you can’t go wrong.
Get the recipe here | Join the waitlist for Evan’s tour in Sicily here
Meryl Feinstein’s Tortelli di Zucca
When you have some time on your hands and want a satisfying project, get out your rolling pin and dive into this recipe for tortelli di zucca. The original recipe hails from Mantova and uses mostarda (a potent condiment made of candied fruit in a sugary, mustard-spiked syrup), but as Meryl notes, you can substitute some lemon zest or omit it entirely, as they do in Parma. A simple butter-and-sage sauce keeps the spotlight on these gems of freshly filled pasta.
Get the recipe here | Join the waitlist for Meryl’s Sicily tour here
Featured photo courtesy of Meryl Feinstein.
