To say that this dish is a winner is an understatement. Try it now and see if you agree!
Ingredients:
- 1 spaghetti squash
- 1/4 cup of olive oil, plus more for drizzling the squash
- salt and pepper
- 1/2 pound of shitake mushrooms
- 6 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- 1 pound of cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 big handfuls of spinach leaves
- 1/2 cup of fresh basil leaves
- grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese (optional)
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Rub the inside of each half with a drizzle of the olive oil and season with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and pepper to taste.
- Arrange, cut side down, on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 30-45 minutes, or until tender.
- Check doneness by inserting a fork between the skin and the flesh. If it is tender and you can start to create strands with the fork, then it is done.
- Flip them over (otherwise they will continue to cool), and set them aside until they are cool enough to handle.
- Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté until caramelized and just tender about 3 minutes.
- Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté until fragrant, 30-60 seconds.
- Add the tomatoes and two big pinches of salt, plus black pepper to taste.
- Cook the tomatoes, stirring, until they start to lose their shape, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the spinach and sauté until wilted, about 3 minutes. Tear or slice the basil leaves and stir into the mixture.
- Using a fork, pull the strands of the squash crosswise from the peel so that it resembles spaghetti.
- Add it to the sauce and sauté over medium heat until it is warmed through. Add the cheese, if using, and toss to combine.