Spaghetti Squash in Arrabbiata Sauce

Happy FALL everyone! I am currently on a rural Family Medicine rotation in Franklin, WV. I am thoroughly enjoying meeting the people of the town, providing care for their families, and exploring the hills they call their home. It is the peak of fall here. The drive to work is about 40 minutes, but the views are spectacular. My morning drives give me the peace of mind to reflect on my days and appreciate the beauty of this great state of West Virginia.

One thing I love about being in such a rural area is that everyone has a garden! Of course we are getting close to the end of the gardening season, but there are still some things to be harvested. Last week I received one of the biggest butternut squashes I have ever seen, right from a patient's garden. It was so sweet. I used half of it to make a creamy butternut squash soup and threw the other half in the freezer. I will surely use the rest of it up to make something good in the future.

Today I am bringing you a recipe for a different kind of squash - spaghetti squash! If you have ever cooked a spaghetti squash, you understand why it is called what it is. The flesh of the squash peels apart like spaghetti when cooked through. Trust me, as an Italian, it is NO spaghetti! But when you add some cheese, basil, and tomato sauce... it is a delicious dish! Plus you get a great serving of vegetables from the squash and cut out a lot of the carbohydrates.

One other fun thing I love about this dish is that there is minimal mess. You can make the sauce ahead of time. The squash itself functions as a bowl. When you scrape out the contents, the outer skin remains sturdy. So just use it to bake and serve. Plus you will impress your friends and family with the presentation.

This was my first time at trying to make my own tomato sauce. The way in which I made it might be of a little disgrace to my grandmothers, but it worked for me! I used a high powered blender and a crockpot to make this spicy garlic Arrabbiata sauce. But I promise you that I added just as much love and heart into it as my grandmother would have if she spent all day making it!

If you do not have time to make your own sauce, I highly recommend Rao's brand of tomato sauce. That is the brand that I have found to taste most like my Nonna's pasta sauce. For this recipe, I like the sauce to have a little kick of spice to it. Those flavors should come from both the garlic and the red pepper flakes, which are critical components of an Arrabbiata sauce. If you are not into spicy whatsoever, just choose a favorite marinara sauce.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! I encourage you to shop local and find yourself a squash at a local farm or farmer's market. It is important to support community members. And it could be important for your own wellness to get some fresh air and maybe some extra steps in through that corn maze nearby. You never known what new memories you may make or people you may encounter.

Below is the recipe for these spaghetti squash boats! Let me know how they turned out and if you tweaked them to make them your own creation. I love hearing from you. Stay well.

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Spaghetti Squash in Arrabbiata Sauce

Arrabbiata Sauce Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 8 cloves of garlic, peeled and cut in half

• Two 28 oz. cans San Marzano whole peeled tomatoes (preferably with basil)

• 1/3 cup dry red wine

• 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Arrabbiata Sauce Directions:

1. In a small sauce pot over medium heat, heat oil and garlic cloves. Saute until garlic has browned. Be careful not to burn. Let cool.

2. In a high powered blender, combine two cans of tomatoes, garlic, and olive oil. Process until smooth.

3. In a crockpot, combine sauce mixture, wine, crushed red pepper, flakes, salt, and ground black pepper. Stir to mix.

4. Cook on high for four hours, be careful not to burn. You want the sauce to simmer. Stir occasionally.

5. Let cool.

6. Sauce can be stored for 5 days in refrigerator or stored in freezer for 3 months.

Spaghetti Squash Ingredients:

• 2 medium sized spaghetti squash

• 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil

• 1 tablespoon oregano

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 2 cups arrabbiata sauce (see recipe above)

• 8 oz. burrata cheese (or any type of fresh mozzarella)

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Spaghetti Squash Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

2. Cut the spaghetti squash in half longways and scrape out seeds.

3. Coat four halves of squash completely (inside and out) with olive oil. Sprinkle cut side of squash with oregano, salt, and pepper. Place on baking sheet with the skin down and cut side up.

4. Bake for 50 minutes.

5. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes.

6. Scrape out inside of squash, leaving 1 cm of flesh around the edges to keep the skin sturdy . The scrapings should be "spaghetti like". Place scrapings into a large bowl.

7. Toss spaghetti squash scrapings with arrabbiata sauce.

8. Evenly divide sauce and squash mixture amongst the four squash skin boats.

9. Top squash bowls with burrata cheese and sprinkle with fresh basil.

10. Bake for 10 minutes at 425 degrees F or until the cheese has melted.

11. Let cool for five minutes and enjoy!