How to Cook Unripe Spaghetti Squash As a Summer Squash

Ingredients

• 2 young, small spaghetti squash
• Butter to flavor the cooked squash
• Salt for the water and for seasoning the cooked squash, to taste
• Fresh-ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Pick young, small spaghetti squash, checking that your fingernail can go through the skin without a fight. Don’t rely on color alone to judge age; the fingernail check is the better clue.
2. Scrub the squash thoroughly on the outside, since the peel stays in the dish. Trim away the stem end and blossom end, then cut the squash into pieces about 2 inches square. If you see developed seeds, make sure they are still tender.
3. Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil. Add a little salt, slide in the spaghetti squash, and lower the heat to medium-low.
4. Let the squash simmer until it turns tender, about 10-15 minutes, or until a fork slips in easily. Keep an eye on it, because if it cooks too long, it will get mushy.
5. Transfer the cooked squash to a large colander and let it drain well, for 5 minutes or more. This is not the moment to hurry; young squash gives off plenty of liquid.
6. Once the squash has drained about 5 minutes, roughly mash the squash and skin with an old-fashioned potato masher, then leave it to drain 2-3 minutes more.
7. Spoon the spaghetti squash into a serving bowl and bring it to the table hot, with plenty of butter, salt, and freshly ground pepper.
8. Leftovers can stay in the fridge for a few days and warm back up nicely in the microwave or in a pan on the stove.