Vegan adaptable, gluten-free, serves 4
Spaghetti squash is one of those wonderous, versatile things that can be dressed up a thousand different ways. If you’ve never tried it, wait no longer. It’s a dieter’s best friend, no matter what the diet – gluten-free, few calories, little carbs, and as satisfying (well, almost) as a bowl of the real stuff. On its own, the flavor is quite neutrally nice, which is why I prefer a more minimalist application. No quality, fresh food should ever be disguised.
Roma tomatoes, a/k/a plum tomatoes are my number one crown jewel tomato variety! Their rich flavor, low moisture, and low acidity make them the ideal tomato to make sauces and marinaras. And when treated to a long spa of low temperature slow roasting, they become intense flavor bliss. Their sweet, tomatoey rich goodness concentrates into something that’s like a condiment on its own. This time I wanted to help them even more (as if they needed it) by making a confit – a fancy way to essentially say, tomato preserves. From the oven, I gave them a blitz in the food processor before adding them to a warm skillet to reduce and season. Instead of using sugar (common for a confit) I played up their natural sweetness with good aged balsamic vinegar. Tomato LOVE!
Start with:
3-4 lb spaghetti squash
Preheat oven to 400∘F. Cut the squash in half lengthwise, then use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. Drizzle with a small bit of olive oil and rub it evenly on flesh. Sprinkle with a little bit of sea salt and pepper. On a baking sheet, put the squash halves face down and roast for 30 minutes. Take them out and carefully flip them cavity side up. They should be tender enough that you get that magic spaghetti when the flesh is scraped with a fork. Gently scrape away until you have a nice big bowl of golden strands.
For the tomato confit:
2 lb super ripe, vine fresh roma tomatoes
10-12 large garlic cloves
extra virgin olive oil
good aged balsamic vinegar
6 thyme sprigs
crushed red pepper
sea salt & pepper
Preheat oven to 325∘F. Slice the tomatoes in half lengthwise and place in a large bowl. Pull the leaves from 2 thyme sprigs, coarsely chop, add to tomatoes. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper, drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat. On a foil lined baking sheet, spread out the tomatoes cut side up. Smash the garlic cloves with your knife and remove the skins. Take a clove (you can half cloves as well) and push them into the mushy, seedy center of the tomato halves. Throw over a couple of whole thyme sprigs. Roast the tomatoes for about 6 hours, until they have shriveled and darkened but still have plumpness.
Remove thyme stems and toss tomatoes in a food processor and blitz to a coarse purée. Gently heat about a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil in a skillet. Add tomato purée with a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, a tablespoon more of chopped fresh thyme, and a pinch of crushed red pepper. Allow to heat through and slightly reduce at a gentle heat, about 10 minutes.
To serve:
Spoon confit over a serving of spaghetti squash. Drizzle with extra virgin, and more crushed red pepper and thyme leaves if desired. Curls of parmesan cheese off the block sends this dish though the stratosphere. (Vegans – obviously omit the cheese.)
<3, JMK
