It's The Fun Squash!

 

Supper, Thursday April 30, 2020: I have no idea anymore.

Every picture I have seen of spaghetti squash being baked to tease out the (fibers, threads, noodles?) has the squash cut and cleaned out THE WRONG WAY. Why do people cut it lengthwise? Cutting it lengthwise limits the length of the fibers to one half of the circumference of the squash. Now maybe that is enough for you but I would like to get more out of it. Since the fibers wrap around the circumference the best way to cut would be transversal, the other way. Make circles. The added benefit is that the slices cook faster and evenly. 

Here's what you do. 

Cut enough of the ends off so the fibers are exposed. Cut the rest into circles about an inch thick. remove the seedy centers. Oil them well. ( I like olive but do you.) Place on a sheet pan and bake at 350F. 

It is very important to watch them carefully. 

It is the avocado principle. We have all experienced it: Put a rock hard avocado on the counter. Watch it carefully for days. The excitement builds as you see that it is nearly ready. As the perfect moment approaches you turn your back for 15 minutes. You turn around and discover that it is a black mass swarming with fruit flies. 

I exaggerate of course but the principle is true. Avocados are frustrating in that they are perfectly ripe for a small window of time. Soon after, every place it was ever bumped or squeezed becomes a black dimple in the flesh. 

In the case at hand the squash rings go from aaaaalmost done to mushy in a scant few minutes.  As they are beginning to look cooked through check them with a fork. You are looking for that moment when they are just fork tender: you can easily push a fork in and twist it to separate the fibers. 

Pull them from the oven. I like to let them cool, then tease the fibers apart by hand, but time is not really my enemy in the short term. To use them right away pull them apart and fluff using forks.

You will end up with longer, more uniform threads. More squash fun!