Of all the winter squashes, butternut is my favorite. Not only is it easy to peel for soups or gratins, but its flesh is also exceptionally creamy and sweetly invites a sausage filling. Stuffed with pork and chestnut sausage, these squash boats can stand alone as a main course, with steamed rice and a sturdy-leaf green salad for side dishes. They also make a notable side dish for a holiday turkey or crown roast. For precooking the squash, I like to take the microwave advantage. It’s ever so much faster. But for finishing the dish, I use the oven because it produces a toastier, more visually appealing look.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Step 2
Cut the squashes in half lengthwise. Place them cut side down on a baking sheet or in a microwave-safe dish. Sprinkle lightly with water, cover loosely, and cook until squeezable but not mushy, about 40 minutes in the oven, or 10 minutes in the microwave. Remove and set aside to cool. Leave the oven on if you have used it, or preheat it now to 400°F if you haven’t.
Step 3
When the squash halves are cool, scoop out and discard the seeds from each half, then make a slit in the flesh along the middle, from the blossom to the stem end of each half, taking care not to cut through the skin. Pry open the slit and push the pulp to the edges. Fill the cavity with sausage, dividing it evenly among the halves and heaping it high. Add a generous helping of bread crumbs on top and dot with butter.
Step 4
Return the squash halves, filled sides up, to the baking sheet, and pour a little water in the bottom to keep them from drying out. Bake until the sausage is no longer pink in the middle but still moist and the bread crumbs are golden, about 20 minutes. Serve hot.
