Serves 6
Spiced nutS
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup white sugar
½ tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1½ tsp salt
1 egg white
1 Tbsp water
1 cup walnuts, chopped
1 cup pecans, chopped
Squash
4 medium delicata squash, halved, seeds removed
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp brown sugar
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 oz goat cheese
Twice-Baked Delicata Squash with Spiced Nuts
Preparation – Spiced Nuts:
Preheat oven to 300°F. Mix sugars and spices in a small bowl and set aside. in a medium-sized bowl, combine egg white and water and beat until frothy (you should not be able to see the bottom of the bowl). Add nuts and toss to coat with egg. Add spices and toss to coat. Spread mixture onto baking sheet covered
in parchment paper, flattening with a spatula. bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven to cool.
Preparation – Squash:
Increase oven temperature to 450°F. Rub each seeded squash half with butter (including skin), then place skinside down on a baking tray or dish.
Sprinkle each half with brown sugar, salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes. After 30 minutes, check every 2 minutes until a knife easily slices through the squash.
Remove squash from the oven and reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Let squash cool until it’s cool to the touch. carefully scrape squash meat into a bowl, leaving a thin layer of squash so the skin can act as a boat. The skin is very thin and you’ll need six squash boats, so be very careful while scraping out the meat.
Mix squash meat with goat cheese. Add more salt and pepper if desired. When squash mixture is smooth and no lumps remain, split mixture between six squash boats. The amount in each boat depends on the size of your squash – just ensure each boat has approximately the same amount of filling.
Place squash boats back on the baking pan and bake at 350°F for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, or until filling is heated through.
To Serve:
Using a fork or your hands, break apart the sheet of spiced nut brittle into small pieces. When the squash filling is heated through, remove from the oven and top with a small handful of nut brittle.