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Rachael's Spaghetti Squash with Pesto alla Genovese

Rachael's Spaghetti Squash with Pesto alla Genovese

Ingredients

  • 2 medium spaghetti squash

  • Olive oil, for drizzling

  • Salt and pepper

  • 1 cup vegetable stock

  • About 2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano or Fiore Sardo cheese, cut into 1-inch pieces

  • About 1 ounce Pecorino Romano cheese, cut into 1-inch pieces

  • About 1/4 cup pine nuts, raw

  • 2 large garlic cloves, crushed

  • 1 lemon

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)

  • 4-5 cups "Holy Basil" or small leaves of basil, buy 2 large bunches and pick smallest leaves (about 2 1/2 ounces)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375˚F. Split the squash across and scoop out the seeds. Drizzle or spray the squash flesh with olive oil and season with salt and pepper and roast about 35-40 minutes on parchment-lined baking sheet. Cool the squash cut-side out to cool to handle. Shred the squash into “spaghetti,” which should still be firm—al dente squash spaghetti.

Warm a large mixing bowl or large skillet with 1 cup of stock.

In a food processor, pulse the cheese into coarse sand. Transfer to a bowl. Add nuts, garlic, zest of 1 lemon and salt to a food processor and pulse into a fairly smooth paste. Add cheese to nut paste and add about 3 tablespoons EVOO; process until smooth. Pulse process basil into sauce until fairly smooth, adding juice of 1 lemon and remaining EVOO.