Roasted Acorn Squash with Sage, Egg and Shaved Pecorino Cheese
By mhatkinson
This is a light main-course.
Chef's tip: Choose the right size squash. A 2-pound one is too large - 1 1/2 pounds or a little less is better. It's also helpful to break the egg over a cup first and then pour it into the squash hole rather than trying to break it over the hot squash. Ruta likes the yolk "runnier than most.... When it mixes with the oil, butter, cheese and seasoning, it makes a great sauce for the squash," he says.
- 4
Ingredients
- 2 medium acorn squash
- Extra-virgin olive oil to taste, plus additional for the pan
- Salt to taste
- 1 About 1 tablespoon butter
- 16 small sage leaves, shredded if desired
- 1 Thai or serrano chili pepper, very thinly sliced
- 4 large or extra-large eggs
- 2 About 2 ounces aged Pecorino cheese
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly oil a roasting pan.
Cut each squash in half length-wise: scoop out and discard the seeds. There should be enough space in the cavity to accommodate an egg; if necessary, using a spoon, scoop out a little of the squash to enlarge the cavity. Turn the squash halves over and using a sharp knife, cut a thin slice from the rounded "bottom" of each squash half so each half will rest on a flat surface. Turn the squash halves over again and brush the squash cavity generously with oil and season with salt to taste. Place the squash, cut side down, in the prepared pan, and place in the oven. Bake the squash until tender and slightly caramelized around the edges, about 40 minutes.
Remove the squash from the oven and flip it over. Using the tip of a sharp knife, make several shallow slashes in the cavity of each. Cut the butter into 4 portions; rub 1 portion over the cavity of each squash half, leaving any unmelted butter in the cavity. Place 2 sage leaves and 1 slice chili pepper in each cavity, drizzle with oil and season with salt to taste. Return to the oven and bake until the butter melts and the oil begins to sizzle. Remove the squash from the oven and break 1 egg into each cavity. Drizzle each with a little oil, sprinkle with 2 sage leaves and chili pepper and season with salt to taste. Return to the oven and bake until the egg is the desired consistency, about 10 minutes for a still runny yolk.
Remove from the oven. Transfer the squash to individual plates and garnish each with a generous shaving of cheese. Serve immediately.