zucca ripiena / stuffed acorn squash

I grew up without personally knowing any winter squash. After I moved to Milan, I tasted a few dishes like risotto con la zucca and tortelli di zucca. I then moved to the US and fell in love with winter squash.

Here is a photo from the Arcata farmers' market with dark green acorn squash in the background, next to colorful dumpling squash. I don't think acorn squash is available in Italy. The literal translation of the name would be zucca ghianda. Can any of my Italian readers confirm or refute my idea that this kind of squash has not reached our shore? Acorn squash can be easily halved when raw, something I no longer try to do with bigger squash, after a mishap involving a dislocated knife blade. Half an acorn squash is a perfect portion for one person, so a whole squash makes a great course in a dinner for two.

A while ago my dear friend Cloud made acorn squash stuffed with pears, hazelnuts and dried cranberries (nocciole e mirtilli di palude secchi). If you think the dish sounds interesting, I can assure you it was delicious. The experience got me thinking about using pears, but placing them in a different environment, like scalogno e timo (shallot and thyme). Toasted noci pecan (pecans) would provide the crunch to the ensemble. I am currently in love with pecans, so I put them everywhere I can.

The dish is quite simple, but requires a bit of time for the roasting of the zucca. The dish also needs a bit of thyme, which I get from my little herb garden, where I recently planted an additional specimen. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Cut the acorn squash lengthwise and scoop out the seeds with a grapefruit spoon or a melon baller. Spray with olive oil a baking sheet and place on it the squash halves, cut side down. Bake for 45 minutes.

In the meantime, spray a small frying pan with olive oil and warm it up, then add 2 oz of shallot, finely chopped, and half a tablespoon of fresh thyme leaves. Cook, covered, until the shallot is soft, about 15 minutes, making sure it does not become dry (in which case add a splash of vegetable broth to the pan). Cut the pera (pear) in small pieces. Leave it unpeeled, if possible. Add the pear pieces to the shallot and cook for a couple of minutes. Sprinkle some freshly-ground pepper and salt, to taste. Also, toast 2 tablespoons of pecans in a dry skillet or in the oven, then chop them with a knife and add them to the pear and shallot mixture. Use this to fill the two halves of the squash, then put them back in the oven for 8-10 minutes. Eat immediately and fall in love with squash over again.

Zucca in Italian is also used to indicate the human head. Una zucca vuota (an empty head) is not a good sign, and neither is non avere sale in zucca (to lack common sense). I wish zucca were used in more complimentary expressions, but, since I cannot do much to change the language, I can make amends by celebrating zucche in my cooking.

This is my entry for Weekend Herb Blogging, the world-famous food blogging event started by amazing Kalyn of Kalyn's Kitchen, hosted this week by yours truly. Here's my roundup of WHB #112.

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Click on the button to hear me pronounce the Italian words mentioned in the post: 

zucca ripiena

or launch the zucca ripiena audio file [mp3].

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Comments

[Burcu]

I love coming here and reading about Italian vegetable related sayings, and also I'm usually surprised how they're similar with the Turkish ones. Just like zucca: always negative in metaphors. In Turkish people also use "una zucca vuota" but for a different not-very-meaning: bald.

[Kalyn]

I haven't ever tasted acorn squash, can you believe it! Of course I've tasted all kinds of other winter squash and grown butternut squash quite a few times, but somehow I've completely missed acorn. I must remember to buy some. Love the idea of squash stuffed with that delicious mixture! Hmm, I wonder if my thyme is even still green under the snow!

[Simona]

That's so interesting Burcu. You really make me want to learn Turkish.

What can I say, Kalyn, I have already made you taste chestnuts this year, so there is a precedence: I truly believe you should try acorn squash. I hope your thyme is doing OK under the snow.

[Peter]

Simona, that's simple and lovely. Would some gorgonzola top off this nice dish?

[Katie]

We love acorn squash. I grow it here but bring the seeds from the U.S. (Don't tell) Just this year I've start to wee winter squashes in the markets - in the past they;re were 'pig food'

[Simona]

Peter, that's a great idea: I think gorgonzola would be wonderful over the stuffing. Thanks for the suggestion.

Hi Katie. The first time I saw a pumpkin in my life, many years ago, I asked how it was used and was answered 'that's for the pig.' I think that it was typical in certain areas.

[Paz]

I've never tasted zucca either. I like the recipe you've posted. I like Cloud's name. ;-) The sayings are funny. ;-) I hope never to hear them in reference to me, though. ;-)

Paz

[Maryann]

Don't feel bad. I broke a knife blade doing the very same thing! Well, whacking it with the metal pounder didn't help..haha!

[Baol]

Ciao, arrivo dal blog di kebrunella, nel tuo profilo ho letto che ti occupi di contabilità (come me) solo che lo fai in California...come si fa? :)

Ciao dalla Puglia

ps
Spero di capire abbastanza l'inglese per seguire il tuo blog :)

[Lucy]

'Una zucca vuota' is an expression I can see myself using often - and a wonderful recipe, Simona!

[Simona]

Dear Paz, I hope you will give zucca a try.

Hi Maryann: unsafe practices, I'd say.

Ciao Baol e grazie per la visita. Blogger ha deciso di farmi uno scherzo e non ha salvato la mia scelta. Mi dispiace deluderti, ma di fatto mi occupo di ricerca in campo di informativa medica. A presto.

Thanks Lucy.

[Laurie Constantino]

What an interesting recipe, thanks! In Greek, the word for squash also means rubbish -- another negative expression.

[Lori Lynn @ Taste With The Eyes]

Thanks for reminding me to use acorn squash as a side dish, your recipe sounds terrific. We are making lamb shanks tonight, maybe we'll try squash with it.
Now I don't have "una zucca vuota"
when it comes to cooking squash. Thanks :)

[Kevin]

Both of the squash stuffed with pear and nuts dishes sound really nice. I would never have thought of stuffing a squash with pears.

[Simona]

Oh my, I didn't know, Laurie.

I hope you'll like the result, Lori Lynn.

Hi Kevin. I actually tried apples too, but I prefer pears.

[lenny]

Adoro la zucca, cucinata in tutti le possibili varianti.
Ciao

[Mike]

Sounds tasty. I think acorn squash has to my favorite of the winter squash--this looks delicious and the pear sounds like a great thing to pair with it.

[Simona]

Proprio come me, Lenny. Ciao.

Thanks Mike. I hope you will try it.