For many Germans, pumpkins are on the menu in autumn. The most well-known varieties are Hokkaido and Butternut, but there are others you should try. This includes, for example, the spaghetti squash, which has an interesting property.
Halloween may be over, but pumpkin season continues. The delicious fruits are not only suitable for delicious soups, tarte flambée or oven vegetables. If you choose special varieties, you can also try other dishes.
So if you want to add some variety to your autumn cooking, you should try the “spaghetti squash” from Japan. It’s so called because its pulp forms long threads – but you also need to prepare it properly.
The pumpkin is either green striped on the outside or completely yellow. You need to cut it in half crosswise and remove the seeds with a spoon. You can then season the flesh as you like, as simple as salt and pepper or something more unusual.
Place the two halves, open side down, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Alternatively, you can also use a casserole dish that you spread thinly with oil or butter.
After you have baked the pumpkin at around 180 degrees for a good 45 to 50 minutes, let it cool down and then scrape out the flesh with a fork – this is how you remove the eponymous spaghetti. Use an oven mitt to hold on!
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), a spaghetti squash has only 31 calories per 100 grams and is therefore a good weight loss aid. In terms of minerals, the fruit has calcium, iron and magnesium in particular to offer. It also contains vitamins C, E, B6 and A. Further nutritional values can be found in the table:
You can integrate the spaghetti squash into a wide variety of recipes. Since it consists of more than 90 percent water, the fruit is a light alternative to normal pasta – so you can, for example, do without the carbohydrates and simply serve classic pasta sauces with it. Arrabiata, pesto, Bolognese.
The long pumpkin threads can also be served as a starter, such as tomatoes and feta from the oven – with a touch of garlic oil and basil, this becomes a light appetizer before the main course.
It is also a real eye-catcher if you halve the pumpkin lengthwise and serve it directly in the fruit. So you can put a delicious lentil stew with carrots and onions in the small boat and mix it with the spaghetti. This dish warms the soul and will be remembered by your guests.
