Ingredients (serves 4-5)

• 1 1/4 pound / 20 ounces / 570 grams tromboncino squash
• 2 tablespoons / 30 ml extra-virgin olive oil
• 10 ounces / 280 grams sweet onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 1/2 teaspoon Ras el Hanout (spice mix)¹
• 1/2 teaspoon Marrakech Moroccan mix¹: substitute either or both mixes with spices of choice, but do not skip
• 1 cup / 240 ml chicken broth or stock, or vegetable broth [in which case the soup is vegan], possibly homemade
• 2 cups / 475 ml water, plus more as needed
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste
• freshly grated cheese of choice, to taste

Instructions

Heat the oven to 375 F / 190 C.

Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.

Cut the tromboncino squash into 1/2-inch / 1.25 cm thick slices and distribute them on a single layer on the lined baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes, turning the slices halfway through. Take the baking sheet out of the oven, let the squash slices cool slightly then transfer into a bowl.

Warm up the olive oil in a soup pot on medium heat. Add the onion and stir, turn down the heat and cook on low heat until the onion is soft, stirring often. Add the garlic, stir and cook for 1 minute. Sprinkle the spices on the onion and stir, add the tromboncino squash slices to the pot, pour the broth and water and stir.

Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Adjust the heat so the soup bubbles gently. Cook until you can smash the squash easily with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle the salt, stir, turn off heat and let the soup rest for at least 15 minutes, then purée with an immersion blender. Add more water, as needed, to make the soup reach the desired consistency. Taste and adjust salt to your taste..

When ready to eat, heat the soup, ladle it in bowls and sprinkle some cheese on top. Serve immediately.

¹ The spice mixes I use: Ras el Hanout contains nutmeg, sea salt, black pepper, ginger, cardamom, mace, Chinese cinnamon, ground allspice, turmeric, saffron; Marrakech Moroccan mix contains cinnamon, turmeric, nutmeg, mace, white pepper, galangal, black and green cardamom, ginger, anise, allspice, rose petals, cloves, lavender, orris root, cayenne.

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