Posted: March 1, 2017
Chef Scott, a graduate of the California Culinary Academy, has cooked and learned in the kitchens of many of the country’s best chefs including Gary Danko. You may recognize him from his appearances as the Emmy award winning host on Food Rush, HSN, on Top Chef, special guest appearances on NBC’s Today Show, Bar Rescue, The Rachel Ray Show, and The Talk. You can hear him weekly on his highly rated radio show, The Ryan Scott Show, on KGO 810, San Francisco Bay Area.
Serving Size: 6 – 8 servings
Time To Prep: 20 minutes / Time To Cook: 15 minutes
Swap Option Acorn or Butternut squash works well for this recipe
Why I Love This Recipe: It can be used as appetizers or as a meal with a glass of wine
Ingredients:
- 1, 2-3 pound Kabocha Squash, washed and peeled
- 2-3 tablespoons good cider vinegar
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup Fresh ricotta cheese
- 1/4 cup Olive oil, divided
- 1 tablespoon Fresh lemon juice
- 12-16 Fresh sage leaves
- 1/4 cup Vegetable oil for frying
- 1/2 cup Pepitas
- 3 Red Bartlett Pears, small diced and set in lemon water
- 1 small, whole wheat baguette, 2-3″ in diameter, sliced on the bias
- Crusty loaf of country wheat bread, sliced
Preparation:
- Cut the squash in half and scoop out all the seeds, then cut into 1-inch thick wedges.Step 1. Cut the squash in half and scoop out all the seeds, then cut into 1-inch thick wedges.
- Add kabocha squash to a medium sized pot and cover with water. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to simmer for 10-12 minutes or until squash is fork tender, but not mushy; drain
- Place drained squash in a large bowl with cider vinegar, salt and pepper to taste, then mash. Texture should be a little thicker/creamier than ricotta cheese.
- In a medium bowl, mix the ricotta cheese with 1 tablespoon olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
- Heat vegetable oil in small skillet over medium-high heat until hot, but no smoking. Fry 6-8 sage leaves at a time until crisp, 2-3 seconds. Transfer with a fork to paper towels to drain.
- Place a grill pan over medium-high heat. Brush both sides of bread with remaining olive oil and cook on each side until a golden-brown color is achieved and grill marks begin to form, about 1 minute. Set aside.
- Spread the squash mixture on grilled bread, top with a dollop of ricotta cheese mixture,
- Top with crumbled sage leaves, pepitas and diced pears to garnish.
