Stuffed Acorn Squash - Emeril

Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 10 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 4 medium acorn squash, halved and cleaned
• olive oil
• salt
• fresh ground black pepper
• 1 lb italian sausage, casing removed and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 cup sliced red onion
• 4 cups basic tomato sauce, recipe follows
• 1/2 lb rigatoni pasta, cooked until tender, tossed in olive oil and cooled
• 1/2 lb mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 2 1/2 cups chopped peeled tomatoes with juice
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• black pepper
• 1 pinch sugar

Recipe

• 1 preheat the oven to 350°f.
• 2 season the squash with olive oil, salt and pepper.
• 3 place on a baking sheet, flesh side up and add 1/2 cup water to the pan.
• 4 cover with aluminum foil and bake until tender, about 1 hour.
• 5 remove from the oven and cool completely.
• 6 in a large saute pan, over medium heat, brown the sausage and onions, about 6 to 8 minutes.
• 7 in a large mixing bowl, toss the sausage and onions with the tomato sauce, pasta, and cheese.
• 8 season with salt and pepper.
• 9 mix well.
• 10 spoon the pasta mixture into the cavity of each squash.
• 11 place the filled squashes on a baking sheet and place in the oven.
• 12 bake until the squash is heated through and the cheese melts, about 20 minutes.
• 13 place the filled squash in the center of each plate.
• 14 garnish with parsley and serve.
• 15 tomato sauce: heat oil in a large skillet and sauti onions, garlic, salt, and pepper 3 minutes.
• 16 add tomatoes and basil; cook, stirring, 3 minutes.
• 17 stir in stock and 18 turns black pepper; simmer 2 minutes.
• 18 season with sugar if acidic and cook 1 minute.