spicey spaghetti squash

spicy spaghetti squash

does it look like one of scott conant's little spaghetti nests?  yeah, i guess that's a bit of a stretch...  while i wouldn't compare my spaghetti squash recipe to scarpetta's, it's full of flavor and easy on your waistline.  nonna's spicy sauce (i picked it up at the gourmet guild) gives this dish a kick and some added capers and kalamata olives give further depth and complexity. the recipe is simple, you just need to be patient and give the squash enough time to roast~

prep time: 20 mins
cook time: 1 hour
ingredients:

• 2 spaghetti squash, halved and seeded


• 1/2 cup kalamata olives, sliced thick


• 1 tablespoon capers, rough chopped


• 1 jar nonna's spicy sauce


• olive oil


• salt & pepper to taste


• freshly grated parmesan cheese


• 2 bunches broccoli rabe


• 2 garlic cloves, sliced


• 1/4 teaspoon roasted red pepper flakes

pre-heat oven to 400 degrees and start a large pot of water to boil. lay your halved squash on a baking sheet lined with tin foil. drizzle squash with olive oil and add salt and pepper to taste.  cook until insides are tender and fork can be inserted easily, about 50 minutes.
while you're waiting on the squash to cook, add the jarred sauce to a small pan and add the olives and capers.  the longer they simmer together, the better integrated the flavors will be.  
next, peel, slice and saute the garlic over medium heat in a saute pan with a few turns of olive oil. once it starts to turn caramel colored, remove it from the pan with a slotted spoon and reserve the olive oil to cook the broccoli rabe.  at this point, blanch, drain and saute the broccoli rabe. when you add it to the pan the garlic was in previously, season again with salt and roasted red pepper flakes. cook until all leaves and broccoli heads have been coated and then pull off heat and set aside with foil on top to keep warm.
back to the squash.  once it's done, it will be easily be 'forked,' meaning you pull the fork through the flesh towards you and twist to release the strand like fibers(only do this step once the cooked squash has cooled). fork all the squash and set aside, you should have three or four portions depending on the size of your squash.
heat about a 1/4 cup of the sauce at a time in a saute pan over medium heat.  add a portion of the squash to the pan and mix it in with the sauce.  once all has heated through, plate your dish and top with a few olives and parmesan.