tromboncino squash

roasted tromboncino squash with tomatoes / zucchetta al forno con pomodori

| Simona

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IMG_4465

fresh ingredients, simply prepared make my ideal meal
(placemat by La FABBRICA del LINO)

 

The current Cook the Books Club selection is A Cook’s Tour, Global Adventures in Extreme Cuisines by the late Anthony Bourdain. Some editions of the book carry the subtitle In Search of the Perfect Meal, which feels more appropriate as it is a theme that recurs in the memoir.

At times, Bourdain writes with deep sensitivity and shares insights in what he saw and experienced, like his observations of Vietnamese people or his homage to the many Mexican immigrants who work in restaurants in NYC. The book comes alive in those moments and made me wish it contained a lot more. He makes some references to his mental health, which of course now appear under a different light. What made this a hard book for me to read are his tirades (for example, against vegetarians and non-smokers) and descriptions of animals turned into food.

One theme Bourdain touches on several times, particularly when he describes his time in Vietnam, is the great flavor of dishes made with fresh ingredients and consumed immediately. Here we are in full agreement. My visits to farmers’ markets are the most important inspiration in the kitchen. Summer produce is a rich source of ideas. A couple of weeks ago, I saw the first Tromboncino squash1 of the season and rushed to buy it. Much to my delight, some local farmers grow this type of squash. (In Italian tromboncino literally means small trombone, the musical instrument.)

Besides being eye-catching with its long, curvy shape, Tromboncino squash has a dense flesh and a delicate, pleasant flavor.2 Although it is harvested early and consumed as a summer squash, it is not a cultivar of Cucurbita pepo like zucchini and other summer squashes, but of Cucurbita moschata, like butternut squash. Like its famous relative, zucchetta has seeds only in the lower part of its body: the long neck is seedless (as you can see in the top photo).

The tomatoes in the photo are of a variety called Prairie fire. They have a subtle gold striping and deep red flesh. The dish can be made also with other types of tomatoes, like Early girl, which I used in an earlier rendition of the recipe.

Print-friendly version of briciole’s recipe for Roasted tromboncino squash with tomatoes

Ingredients:

  • 3 tablespoons / 45 ml extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1 1/2 pounds / 680 grams tromboncino squash
  • 8 ounces / 225 grams tomatoes, like Prairie fire or Early girl or other meaty variety
  • 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh leaves of winter savory or thyme or a mix of the two herbs
  • 1/2 teaspoon Harissa spice mix, or to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste
  • Optional toppings, to be added when the dish is ready, just out of the oven: nutritional yeast (which keeps the dish vegan) or freshly grated cheese (like pecorino toscano)

Heat the oven to 375 F / 190 C.

Distribute half of the olive oil on the bottom of a 3 quart / 3 liter (13″x 9″ x 2″ / 33 x 23 x 5 cm) glass baking dish.

Wash the squash and cut it into slices (no more than 1/2 inch / 1.25 cm thick), then pile 2-3 slices and cut into 1/2 inch / 1.25 cm cubes, adjusting your cutting to accommodate the curves of the squash. Quarter the tomatoes lengthwise. If using elongated tomatoes, like Prairie fire, halve them crosswise. If using larger tomatoes, like Early girl, slice them.

Place all the vegetables (squash, tomatoes, garlic) in the baking dish, sprinkle with the herb(s) and harissa and drizzle the remaining olive oil on top, then stir to mix. Place the baking dish in the oven. After 20 minutes, take the baking dish out of the oven and stir the vegetables. After another 15-20 minutes, check a piece of zucchini and gauge whether the dish is done or needs a few more minutes.

When the vegetables are ready, take the baking dish out of the oven, sprinkle the sea salt and stir. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve out of the baking dish or transfer onto a serving dish and serve.

Serves 5 as a side dish.

This is a flavorful side dish that brings together two of my favorite vegetables. Eating it is celebrating the simple pleasures of life: fresh, locally grown produce prepared with care.

This is a favorite photo showing the first tromboncino squash I purchased this season in the company of other “family members.”

1 Wikipedia entry on Tromboncino squash
2 From briciole’s archive: Tromboncino squash soup and Tromboncino squash and tomatoes (where the squash is cooked in a deep sauté pan)

Click on the button to hear me pronounce the Italian words mentioned in the post:

zucchetta al forno con pomodori

or launch the zucchetta al forno con pomodori audio file [mp3].

[Depending on your set-up, the audio file will be played within the browser or by your mp3 player application. Please, contact me if you encounter any problems.]

CtBThis is my contribution to the current selection of our Cook the Books hosted hosted by Claudia of Honey form Rock. (You can find the guidelines for participating in the event on this page.)

The roundup of the event.

FTC disclosure: I have received the table linen free of charge from the manufacturer (la FABBRICA del LINO). I have not and will not receive any monetary compensation for presenting it on my blog. The experience shared and the opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own.

zucchetta, tromboncino squash, tomatoes, Italian cuisine

recipe: roasted tromboncino squash with tomatoes

| Simona

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tromboncino squash soup / zuppa di zucchetta

| Simona

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IMG_344tromboncino squash soup / 4

creamy delight
(placemat by La FABBRICA del LINO)

In the year of COVID, in the summer (and now fall) of fires, I am clinging to cooking and reading to keep my balance. Among my to-read books, I recently chose a novel by the late Swedish author Henning Mankell (without Kurt Wallander2 as protagonist): The Man from Beijing.1 The book opens with a horrific mass murder in a remote Swedish village. Judge Birgitta Roslin, who is connected to some of the victims, gets involved the case, whose roots go back in time and space to the construction of the Pacific Railroad, which relied on the labor of, among others, Chinese workers. The novel travels also to Canton, Beijing, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Copenhagen and London.

The plot kept me interested until the end, yet I admit I missed Wallander, following his meticulous investigation and reasoning process to reach the solution. Roslin is not an investigator, yet she ends up discovering what happened, partly thanks to her determination, partly to chance. Mankell is not shy in criticizing his country and worries about its future. In The Man from Beijing such worries take a more international tone.

tromboncino squash ingredients / IMG_3445

the soup's trio of ingredients
(napkin by La FABBRICA del LINO)

Tromboncino squash3 is a favorite summer squash (in Italian tromboncino literally means small trombone, the musical instrument). I get excited when I see it displayed on a table at the farmers' market or, as was the case earlier this year, at a farm stand4. Its long, curvy shape is eye-catching and its dense flesh and delicate, pleasant flavor make it a winner. Although it is harvested early and consumed as a summer squash, tromboncino squash does not belong to the Cucurbita pepo species like zucchini and other summer squashes, but rather to Cucurbita moschata, like butternut squash. Like its more famous relative, zucchetta has seeds only in the lower part of its body: the long neck is seedless.

Print-friendly version of briciole's recipe for Tromboncino squash soup

Ingredients:

  • 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)5
  • 1/2 teaspoon Marrakech Moroccan mix5: 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

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.

Serves 4-5

Roasting the squash adds depth of flavor to this soup and the spices make it shine. I usually don't stop after the first bowl.

1 The novel's page on the publisher's website
2 My earlier Novel Food post featuring Kurt Wallander
3 Wikipedia entry on Tromboncino squash and an earlier post on this blog with another recipe for tromboncino squash and tomatoes
4 Sarvinski Family Farm (The Corn Crib)
5 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.

Click on the button to hear me pronounce the Italian words mentioned in the post:

zuppa di zucchetta

or launch the zuppa di zucchetta audio file [mp3].

[Depending on your set-up, the audio file will be played within the browser or by your mp3 player application. Please, contact me if you encounter any problems.]

Small_NFlogoThis is my contribution to the 40th edition of Novel Food, the literary/culinary event that Lisa of Champaign Taste and I started 13 years ago and that I continue to host.

The roundup of the event.

Souper Sundayslogo And I am contributing my fruit salad also to Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammies) Sundays, a weekly event created by Cook the Books club co-host Deb of Kahakai Kitchen.

The roundup of the event.

FTC disclosure: I have received the table linen free of charge from the manufacturer (la FABBRICA del LINO). I have not and will not receive any monetary compensation for presenting it on my blog. The experience shared and the opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own.

onion, tromboncino squash, soup, Italian cuisine

recipe: tromboncino squash soup

| Simona

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