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 Denise Gianatasio is a Northport Village resident and freelance writer. She is a licenced agent at Signature Premier Properties, 172 Main Street, Northport 631-754-3600. Denise enjoys cooking and sharing her recipes and family stories, as she wants to inspire a warm sense of home with her readers. Please feel free to contact her for any advice you may need at dishinwithdenise@yahoo.com. |
| This delicious dish is guilt~free, low in carbs, calories and high in antioxidants. Creating an alternative to pasta is appealing to those that “Cook Outside the Book”. A 4 lb. squash will yield approximately 5 cups of pasta strands. You can find spaghetti squash anywhere vegetables can be found during early fall through winter. It’s a vegetable that grows on a vine, ivory to pale yellow in color. Magically when it’s baked or microwaved the inside softens, underneath the rind the flesh separates and can be pulled out with a fork into long thin pasta like strands. A dieter’s dream, 4 ounces of spaghetti squash by itself is only 37 calories. Combined with sausage marinara or (meatless if desired) and baked into an Italian casserole with Italian cheeses will net you rave reviews. Trust me~I am not stringing you along. Who knows you may decide it can satisfy that “sauce urge” at Thanksgiving and have your Tom gobble in… Italian! Make fresh marinara sauce, or (use a really good jar sauce) set aside. In a large skillet with a bit of olive oil brown up loose sausage (out of its casing) approx. 1-1/2 lbs or (desired amount) of hot and sweet Italian sausage meat with 1 large diced Vidalia onion. When onion is cooked and transparent and meat is browned, drain out any oil and grease, add to the marinara. Wash rind of squash and pat dry, poke some holes to allow steam to escape during cooking time. Microwave whole squash on high for 10-12 minutes. Cool, cut in ½ lengthwise and fork out insides. Add the marinara and gently toss with the strands, add ½ cup fresh chopped basil, fresh parsley, some chopped chives, fresh oregano, pinch of fennel seeds, fresh black pepper. Toss with 3 cups of fresh baby spinach leaves. Put into a baking dish and add fresh mozzarella cut into diced size pieces. Sprinkle with fresh grated Italian locatelli cheese or shredded asiago cheese. Bake for 25-30 minutes in oven at 350 degrees. When plated add grated cheese to taste, and a dollop~ or not~ of ricotta, and of course that glass of vino! Bon appetite! Xoxo Denise |
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