Healthy
Serves 4
Extra virgin olive oil
4-6 patty pan squash
1/2 lb ground pastured pork sausage
2 yellow bell peppers, chopped
1/2 large onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups black rice, cooked
1/4 cup Panko bread crumbs
3/4 cup ricotta cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Marinara for topping (optional)
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 13 in baking dish lightly with olive oil.
The recipe will fill 6 small squash or 4 larger squash. Wash the squash. Slice off the tops, and using a spoon, gently scoop out the insides. Don't scoop all the way through the bottom. You want to create a cup to hold the filling. Chop up the squash you scooped out and set it aside.
Lightly coat the squash cups in olive oil and pierce with a fork in a few spots. Bake the squash for about 15 minutes, until they begin to soften. Remove from the oven and set aside.
In a skillet, brown the sausage on medium heat. When it is about half way done, add the bell peppers, onion and the chopped squash you scooped out. Cook until the sausage is no longer pink.
Stir the rice, bread crumbs and ricotta into the sausage. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Once the filling is cool enough to handle, divide it evenly into each squash. Pile it high and press gently with a spoon so that it is compact.