Mom’s Squash Puff
Forget pumpkin spice, this season is all about Squash Puff.
My mom has adapted this dish from an old recipe book of hers for years, and it is now a highlight of every Thanksgiving dinner. It can be described as a light, fluffy pillow of squash that has been known to turn squash haters into lovers
I highly recommend giving it a try, especially if you want to impress folks with your cooking skills over the holidays. You can prepare the dish up to a day ahead, making it great if you are travelling over the holidays, or have a busy day.
Recipe
Time: 2 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 6-8 servings
Ingredients
3 cups cooked squash (approx. 2 large butternut & 1 medium acorn)
1 tbsp of olive oil
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
2 tbsp butter
2 large eggs, separated
3 tbsp flour
1/8 tsp pepper
3/4 tsp salt
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup bread crumbs (homemade or pre-made)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°C
Slice squash in half length wise and drizzle with olive oil.
Place squash on baking sheet with cut-side up, and roast for approx. 45 minutes until squash is tender and can be pulled with a fork. As squash is cooking, prepare your other ingredients.
Remove squash from oven and allow to cool slightly. Remove the seeds (this easier to do after squash is cooked in my opinion, but it can also be done before).
Scoop 3 cups of the cooked squash into a large mixing bowl and set aside. Any leftover squash can be frozen for future use.
Lower oven temperature to 350°C, if cooking dish immediately. Turn oven off if cooking at a later time.
While squash is cooling, sauté chopped onion in butter until softened.
Add sautéed onions and egg yolks to squash and blend until combined.
Add flour, salt, pepper and baking powder to squash mixture and mix until combed. Set aside.
Beat the eggs whites using a hand or stand mixer until stiff peaks are formed, then gently fold the egg whites into the squash mixture.
Transfer mixture to a large baking dish, and top with bread crumbs.
At this point, you can store the squash in the refrigerator up to 24 hours before cooking.
When ready to cook, bake at 350°C for 45 minutes.
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– Magical Properties –
Squash is an extremely nutrient dense food, offering a variety of vitamins and minerals to support your health. It is an excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, and manganese. It is loaded with fibre and also rich in cancer fighting antioxidants. The versatility of squash makes it a great addition to your fall cuisine. Roasted, pureed into soup or added to burritos is just one way to include this incredible food in your diet.
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