by: Kate McMillan
Cook Time
45 minutes
Prep Time
10 minutes
Yield
4 servings
Total Time
45 minutes
Prep Time
10 minutes
Yield
4 servings
summary
Agrodolce is a traditional Italian sweet (dolce) and sour (agro) sauce with a bit of a spicy kick. Squash is roasted in the oven and then tossed in a delicious sauce on the stovetop made from vinegar, honey and citrus. As the sauce cooks, it thickens into a syrupy consistency and you are left with a deep and delicious flavor profile.
ingredients
- 1 acorn squash
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup whole shelled hazelnuts
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne
- 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
directions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Working on a cutting board, cut ½ inch off the top and bottom of the squash. Stand the squash up on one of the flat edges. Slice straight down in half. Scoop out the seeds and flesh and cut into ¼-inch thick half moon slices. Pile on top of the parchment paper and toss with the olive oil. Spread out into a single layer and season lightly with salt and pepper. Transfer to the oven and roast until golden brown and fork-tender, about 35 minutes, turning after 25 minutes.
- While the squash is cooking, add the hazelnuts to a mortar and roughly crush with the pestle. Set aside.
- Once the squash is cooked, start the agrodolce sauce. Add the honey, red wine vinegar and cayenne to a braising pan and set over medium-high heat. Stir until the honey is dissolved and then cook the sauce until it begins to thicken, about 7 minutes. Stir in the orange and lemon juice. Add the squash, one piece at a time, to the pan flipping each piece in the sauce a couple of times. Continue to cook, without stirring, until the sauce is thick and deepens in color, about 5 more minutes.
- Remove from heat and top with the parsley and hazelnuts. Serve at once.
notes
¼ teaspoon of cayenne gives this acorn squash agrodolce with hazelnuts recipe a nice bit of heat. You can adjust or eliminate the cayenne to suit your taste.
You can use any type of squash in this recipe. It is also delicious with carrots, parsnips and sweet potatoes.
The advantage of roasting the squash first is that you get that beautiful caramelization.
As the dish sits, the sauce will continue to thicken more than is ideal, so you want to serve this right away and can do so directly from the pan.
