Spaghetti Squash in The Way a Whore Would Make It

Yesterday, I made 2 things that were new to me..Spaghetti Squash and Puttanesca sauce. Spaghetti squash is a squash that when cooked, the meat falls away in strands that resemble angel hair pasta. I was wary of trying this because I love my carbs and angel hair is my favorite kind of pasta. Spaghetti squash is always associated with dieters and I don't diet. However, I was really surprised that the squash was not only delicious and unique, it satisfied my pasta craving and didn't make my stomach feel as if I had just eaten a wet rock. It won't taste like pasta, it has a subtle squash flavor and is a little crunchy. It also has tons of vitamins and nutrients and is available year round.

Pasta alla Puttanesca translates into "Pasta in the way a whore would make it." Hence the name of this post haha. Historically, during the 1950s, Italian prostitutes could make this dish out of odds and ends in their pantries. They didn't have the luxury of shopping everyday like the goodie goodie Italian housewives and they didn't have the time to cook extravagant meals between customers...prostitutes are hard working girls. This sauce is spicy, robust, and pungent due to the use of anchovies, olives, capers and hot pepper flakes.

Spaghetti Squash in The Way a Whore Would Make It
1 whole spaghetti squash
Olive Oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup pitted, chopped olives
2 tablespoons capers
1 tsp anchovy paste
1 tablespoon fresh oregano (or 1 tsp dried)
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 (14 oz) can of plain tomato sauce, natural and no salt added
2 Bay Leaves
sea salt and black pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cut the squash in half lengthwise and pierce the outsides with a fork (just a few stabs). Clean out the seeds and extra gunk in the inside. Rub the cut sides with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. Place cut sides down on a cookie sheet and bake for 40-45 minutes (until a fork can pierce it with only a little resistance). Meanwhile heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and bay leaves and saute until garlic is golden brown. Add the olives, capers, anchovy paste, oregano and crushed red pepper to the skillet, and saute for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and simmer until the squash is done. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

When the squash is done, using a fork, lightly scrape the meat and you will see that it will fall apart like strands of pasta. To serve, top the pasta with the sauce in the empty squash shells. ENJOY!




Looks like a PICTURE whore

Fusion Food

I'm feeling better now. Thank for the kind words lurve!

I used to work at a Fusion restaurant called Formosa in North Haven, Connecticut. Some people guffaw at the thought of combining different cultures foods and cooking techniques. But most people, like myself thought it was interesting. I mean, living in the U S and A.. don't we all unconsciously make fusion food sometimes? I put American ketchup on my FRENCH fries. (haha that was a joke you punk) Haven't you every heard of Tex Mex? (If you haven't...then get outta my country. And when I say country I mean Texas..which is bigger than France)

ANYWAYS, yea, Formosa was a great little restaurant full of nice people. They'll do something like Oceans Nest with garlic mashed potatoes. Or tuna sashimi with a pesto sauce. YUM

Yesterday, I tried my hand at intentional Fusion. I ended up with homemade trenette ravioli with an italian sausage filling over a creamy pesto yogurt sauce and topped with an chipotle adobo sauce. THAT was a mouthful (look I made a joke!). Let me break it down for you*.
Trenette ravioli+sausage+pesto=ITALIAN
Yogurt as a savory sauce=MIDDLE EASTERN
Chipotle in Adobo sauce=MEXICAN
*Origins of food may be disputed...this is based on my knowledge and since this is my blog I can write whatever it is in my pretty little head thankyouverymuch.

The hubby tells me that I need to get more clever with my recipe names..so I decided to call this "Fusion Ravioli" whenever he's around..but when he's not, it's simply Homemade Trenette Ravioli with an Italian sausage Filling over a Creamy Pesto Yogurt sauce and topped with an Chipotle Adobo sauce.


Homemade Trenette Ravioli with an Italian sausage Filling over a Creamy Pesto Yogurt sauce and topped with an Chipotle Adobo sauce. oops..

I mean...Fusion Ravioli

For the trenette (aka egg-less pasta):
2 and 1/2 cups of unbleached all purpose flour
1 cup of ice cold tap water
2 teaspoons of olive oil
pinch of salt
additional flour (or whole wheat flour) for rolling

make a well with the dry ingredients on a flat surface. Gradually combine the wet and the dry. Once it has all come together, knead the dough until you have a smooth ball.

For the Ravioli:
trenette dough
1/2 lb italian sausage, casings removed and meat crumbled
3 cloves of garlic, smashed and minced
chopped cilantro (to taste)
A pot full of boiling water and a little oil

Heat a small frying pan until very hot. Add the sausage, making sure you're breaking it up as it's cooking. After a minute, add the garlic. When you don't see pink anymore, then add the chopped cilantro. Take off the burner and let cool. Put the pot of water to boil.

I used whole wheat flour to flour my rolling pin and work surface b/c it's easier to work with. Use whatever your little heart desires. Divide the dough into 4 parts. Roll them out with the rolling pin and using a small round cutter-like object (I used a small cup that was 2 inches in diameter), cut out rounds. The dough is very elastic, so your rounds will shrink after you cut them..don't be a punk and keep going. When you're done, put 1 tsp on a round, top it off with another round and crimp them together with a fork.

Boil until they float on top. Use a slotted spoon to take those suckers out! This might take a couple of rounds, depending on how big your pasta is.

Sauces
1/2 cup of plain yogurt (I used low fat..gasp!)
1/4 cup homemade or store bought pesto
As much chipotle in adobo sauce as you can handle

Combine yogurt and pesto. Add or subtract to your preference.

Combine the sauces with the ravioli and you got yourself a Fusion meal!

Homemade Potato Gnocchi with Pumpkin Sauce

Pumpkin is a good alternative to tomato sauce, especially this time of the year when it's in season. I'm not going to put a recipe up because it is so simple. Just substitute pureed pumpkin (homemade or canned..just use pumpkin not pumpkin pie filling) for tomato sauce in your pasta recipe. Of course it's not as acidic as tomato but it also has this amazing texture. I sometimes add a pinch of pumpkin pie spice but this is meant as a savory dish.

I made homemade potato gnocchi using potato, egg, and flour.