It all comes out in the squash

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Oh NO, here we are – it's nearly winter. 

It's that time of year where the weather's getting colder and we're all slowing down a bit and becoming more sedentary (at least I am – BUT I'm trying to change that)... So maybe you're craving comfort foods, and eating a bit more, and maybe that heavier eating (and perhaps a few extra pounds) has you feeling kind of blah. 

So why not trade your traditional spaghetti bolognese in for something a little lighter and healthier, but just as tasty (if not more!). We're a little squash-crazy at my house and this is the best use of spaghetti squash I've found to date!



Spaghetti Squash Bolognese

• 1 spaghetti squash, about 3-4 lbs
• 1 large onion, minced
• 2-3 carrots, finely chopped
• 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
(if you have it – I rarely have it around... it's part of the classic soffritto but you can do without in a pinch)
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, finely minced (not traditional in spag-bol, but I love garlic in everything so...)
• a few pieces of pancetta or any cured jambon, chopped into small pieces (optional)
• around 650g of mixed ground meat (I used a mix of lean ground beef and pork but I think it'd be fun to try a leaner choice of ground turkey next time, vegetarians could use tofu or soy ground meat substitute)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup milk (I used goat's milk<3)
• freshly grated nutmeg*
• 1/2 cup white wine (or red wine, or broth)
• 1 can crushed tomatoes (sodium free if you can!)
• seasoning of your choice (salt, pepper, fresh oregano & basil, Piment d'Espelette, etc)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cut spaghetti squash in half, remove seeds, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt & pepper. Place on baking sheet with cut side facing up and cook for about 1 hour 15 minutes.

Pour a couple of tablespoons olive oil into a large frying pan and add a dab of butter. Add minced onion, carrots, and celery over medium-high heat stirring often for a few minutes. Then add the minced garlic and continue cooking until onions are translucent, about another 4-5 minutes. 



Add ground meat and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon until meat has started cooked through but not browned and reduce heat to medium and add about 1/2 cup milk and some freshly grated nutmeg. Stir to incorporate and allow meat to absorb the liquid. Then add 1/2 cup white wine (or red wine or broth) to deglaze the pan and simmer until meat has absorbed some of the liquid.

Add a can of diced or crushed tomatoes and increase heat, cover with a splatter shield and bring to a good simmer for about 5-10 minutes until it starts to reduce, then lower heat and simmer 20-30 minutes until thick, stirring often. (If you have the time you can just simmer on medium for a good hour instead of increasing and then decreasing the heat. This lets the flavours deepen a bit more.) Season to taste (salt, pepper, fresh oregano & basil, Piment d'Espelette) before serving.

Remove squash from oven and let cool slightly. As soon as they are cool enough to handle, scrape the flesh of each squash with a fork into strands (from near the skin inward) and place into a large bowl. 



To serve, place generous portion of "spaghetti" in bowl and top with bolognese sauce and freshly grated parmesan or romano cheese. 

Serves 4 (or 2, with mighty good leftovers for lunch).

*A little note on nutmeg:

For years I guess you could say I felt sort of meh about nutmeg, that is until I bought some a little package of whole nutmeg nuts and tried freshly grating it — whoa — what a difference it makes, I think I could say that as a spice it's a whole other experience! 

It would seem that fragrant oils are much better preserved when the nut is whole and so the lovely aroma it produces once grated is a welcome addition to home made oatmeal, lattes, eggnog, custards, bechamel sauce, pasta and more... about a million times better that the pre-ground stuff.

No need to purchase a nutmeg grater however. Any fine, sharp grater should work fine, just watch those fingers one you approach the end of the nut! Also, be sure to keep those nutmeg nuts in an airtight container for freshness.




"Yé pas assez épicé ton spagat, Linda..."

- Elvis Gratton

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