TFF: Roasted Acorn Squash with Cheese Tortellini
Roasted Acorn Squash with Cheese Tortellini ranks as one of the best Tyler Florence recipes I’ve made so far.
Acorn squash is hollowed out, roasted in the oven and then used as a serving dish to hold cheese tortellini in a creamy, alfredo like sauce. A little garnish of parmesan and sage leaves is sprinkled on the top. The cheese tortellini ends up getting kind of crispy which makes for a great texture difference. Everything together has a smooth, creamy, and subtle richness that I absolutely loved.
I think the presentation factor makes this a perfect dish to serve at a dinner party. Plus, it’s meatless so it would be good for vegetarian guests.
My only recommendation would be to roast the squash a little bit longer than the recipe suggests. I’ve found this to be true with a few of Tyler’s roasting times. Maybe it’s just my oven or something with my own personal preferences, but just be aware.
I actually made this a few weeks ago but just hadn’t had the time to get it posted. So tonight I seriously felt bummed inside while looking at these pictures at the same time I had Sloppy Joe Hamburger Helper simmering away on the stove. It just didn’t seem right. :)
Tyler Florence’s Roasted Acorn Squash with Cheese Tortellini
Ingredients
2 medium acorn squash (about 1 pound each)
Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups heavy cream
1 garlic clove crushed
1 sprig thyme
1 cup grated Parmesan
1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 pound cheese tortellini (store bought)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Grated parmesan cheese for topping
Fresh sage leaves for garnish
AOL has the recipe here with directions
Roasted Acorn Squash with Cheese Tortellini is my eleventh post for Tyler Florence Fridays, a group with the freedom to make any recipe of Tyler’s that they choose and then share their experiences every Friday.
Butternut Squash Risotto
Ahhh, risotto. I love it. Rachel of Rachel Likes to Cook chose Butternut Squash Risotto for the October 9th edition of Barefoot Bloggers. I’m just now getting around to posting about it, but it’s one I definitely didn’t want to miss. Risotto is a traditional Italian rice dish and if you’d never had it before, you wouldn’t think it’s all that just hearing about it. But it is so GOOD. I’ve never made it myself at home before, I usually only get it when the boyfriend and I have a fancy dinner out.
What I knew about making risotto beforehand was that it’s not that hard but it’s not super easy either. The contestants on Hell’s Kitchen always seemed to mess it up, so from the show I learned that you really need to watch it close. I also knew that too much stirring was bad news. I kept all this in mind and hoped for my best effort, or at least a passable one, because this stuff right here… you know, saffron….
is freaking EXPENSIVE! I did my research and found out that it’s the most expensive spice in the world by weight because it has to be cultivated by hand. By hand?!? I instantly understood the high price then. I read that some of the other bloggers tried substituting cinnamon for the saffron. I guess this could be a solution if you didn’t want to fork over all those extra dollars. From what I’ve read though, do not try to substitute turmeric for the saffron unless you desire your meal to be inedible.
I had to use bacon in place of pancetta because I couldn’t find it at my local store. I think maybe the bacon contributed to the risotto being just a little too salty. I’m real sensitive to the taste of salt though, my Mom used as little as she could in cooking when I was growing up and we NEVER, EVER had a salt shaker on the table. To this day, it absolutely floors me when I see someone get served a meal and immediately go for the salt before even tasting their food.
Anyway, my risotto came out browner than some of the other pictures I’ve seen of it on the net, maybe the bacon was to blame for the darker color too. Other than the overage of salt, this was damn good. The butternut squash gave a semi-sweet element that was a nice contrast. The risotto may have been a little thick because I over stirred, but if it was I didn’t notice that much. Another five star recipe from Ina, I’m starting to believe this woman can do no wrong. 
Thanks to Rachel for choosing this recipe. It definitely pushed me in a new culinary direction and I’m glad. My cooking skills seriously are lacking in comparison to my baking skills so anything new is a big learning experience for me. Coming up soon for the Barefoot Bloggers is Vegetable Pot Pie chosen by Deb of Kahakai Kitchen! Stay tuned…
Ina Garten’s Butternut Squash Risotto
Ingredients
1 butternut squash (2 pounds)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
2 ounces pancetta, diced
1/2 cup minced shallots (2 large)
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice (10 ounces)
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon saffron threads
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Click here for directions!
On a related note: Unfortunately, I’ve had to drop out of a few of the food blogging groups I was a member of. Being a part of so many different ones eventually proved to be too much after a while and I was really struggling to keep up. I’ve decided to only do Tuesdays with Dorie and Barefoot Bloggers from now on. 
Also, one more thing…
Thank you, Elra of Elra’s Cooking
and
Nancy of A Recipe A Day
Thanks so much to the both of you for passing along this award to me. It really means a lot to get recognition from fellow bloggers who I truly admire!
