Sweet and Sour Winter Squash: Zucca in Agrodolce

To fall, to healing, AND to roasted squash in all its sweet-and-sour glory. 🍁

I've been stuck at home for the past several months because of a planned and then unplanned hip surgery (see more below). I normally love picking out my produce at the bustling LA farmer’s markets, but that's been impossible of late. With walking and driving still on pause, Mark is doing a great job of taking care of me and grocery shopping, too. The only miscommunication has been over the word squash. (Mark, a zucchini is definitely not a winter squash. 😊)

As for those winter squash in the markets - roasted winter squash is one of my favorite foods this time of year. I love (almost) all of them - kabocha, delicata, acorn. Butternut tests my patience with its stubborn skin, and spaghetti squash I'll never quite understand. What I love most about kabocha, delicata, and acorn squash is that after roasting, the skin becomes soft and edible - a delicious bonus.

This classic Italian recipe marries the rich flavor of roasted squash with the sweet-and-sour flavors of vinegar and sugar. Add in a few raisins, some pine nuts, and onions and the magic happens. The hardest part is handling the squash itself. Squash are all very odd shapes that like to roll around. They need a steady hand and a sharp knife to cut, seed, and slice but the payoff is worth it. (Just be careful!)

CLICK the button below for the recipe:

or head on over to OurItalianTable.com!

In a way, this sweet and sour combination made me think of my journey over these past months. A planned hip replacement snowballed into two surgeries, about a month apart. And the second surgery ended up being a much longer than expected hospital stay. I did learn a few lessons along the way. Lesson one: when you have a long procedure with serious anesthesia, take the cell phone away from the patient. 😊 Otherwise, they start calling people in the middle of the night from crazy waking dreams asking to be rescued from imaginary places. Lesson two: bring your own food. Even at the best hospital, the meals are, well…forgettable. Mark kept me nourished with home-cooked meals and the occasional takeout, making life that much sweeter while stuck in the hospital.

Now, thankfully, I’m back home with full recovery in sight, ready to rejoin Michele for our next podcast, and grateful to be easing back into my normal routine.

So, here’s to fall, to healing, AND to roasted squash in all its sweet-and-sour glory. Ci vediamo presto—see you soon! Enjoy every bite, and happy fall! 🍁